Adaptive Remodeling of Achilles Tendon: A Multi-scale Computational Model
Fig 4
a) remodeling of collagen fibers by mechanical damage and repair, (I) shorter fibers are subject to higher strains, (II) fiber focal damage under mechanical strain forming a gap, (III) fiber repair at a longer length by filling in the gap with new collagen, b) repair probability density function following mechanical damage, quantifies the bias toward fiber lengthening, c) remodeling of collagen fiber by proteolytic damage and repair, (IV) longer fibers are subject to lower strains, thus more likely to be degraded by proteases, (V) new collagen forms across the gap while excess fiber is degraded resulting in a shorter fiber (VI), c) repair probability density function following proteolytic damage quantifies the bias towards fiber shortening.