Contribution of Glycosaminoglycans to the Microstructural Integrity of Fibrillar and Fiber Crimps in Tendons and Ligaments by Marco Franchi, Viviana De Pasquale, Désirée Martini, Marilisa Quaranta, Maria Macciocca, Alessio Dionisi, Vittoria Ottani

“…In particular, tension is mainly transmitted and resisted by protein (collagen, elastin) fibers, whereas compression is opposed by water-soluble glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). GAGs spanning the interfibrillar spaces and interacting with fibrils through the interfibrillar proteoglycans also seem to play a part in transmitting and resisting tensile stresses. …”
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