Assay for measuring the degradation of type I collagen

摘要

An antibody raised to type I collagen carboxyterminal cross-linked telopeptide isolated from decalcified human or animal bone, may be used in an assay to determine the concentration of liberated carboxyterminal telopeptide region of the type I collagen molecule in a sample. When the sample is a body fluid such as serum or urine the degradation product measured is resistant to further degradation, since it contains a multivalent intermolecular cross-link, and can thus be found in the body fluid. The assay may be used to assess the degradation of type I collagen, the major organic constituent of bone matrix.