1305 7 archive 105 disk0/00/00/13/05 2014-02-28 13:39:52 2015-04-21 09:16:31 2014-02-28 13:39:52 article 1085 show Metreveli Nunu nunu_metreveli@iliauni.edu.ge Namicheishvili L Jariashvili K Chikvaidze E Mrevlishvili G pub QC QH301 ins14 none The influence of UV irradiation on the collagen triple helix has been studied at the molecular level. It is shown that UV irradiation causes the appearance of primer free radicals in the water surrounding the collagen, which then interact with the proline residue of the protein with the appearance of secondary free radicals. This is connected with destabilization of the collagen molecule as the defects in the amino acid residues probably lead to cleavage of the covalent bonds near the damaged sites, so maintaining the triple helical structure. The presence of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the solution protects the collagen molecule from the action of the secondary free radicals. 2005-12 published Journal of Biological Physics and Chemistry 5 4 AMSI & Collegium Basilea 133-136 TRUE 1512-0856 http://www.amsi.ge/jbpc/