Fibrils with straight subfibrillar arrangement

Fibrils with helicoidal subfibrillar arrangement

 The straight subfibrillar arrangement of large collagen

fibrils seems to determine a particular molecular arrangement visible as fibrillar crimp. These large fibrils are stiffer than thinner fibrils and respond mainly to unidirectional tensional forces as it occurs in tendons. The more flexible and thinner fibrils with a helical subfibrillar array can accommodate extreme curvatures without harm, thus responding to multidirectional loadings as in aponeurosis, fascia communis, skin, aortic wall, tendon and nerve sheaths.

Both types of collagen fibrils, with straight or helical microfibrillar arrangement, were described in ligaments submitted both to tension and torsion.