C-telopeptide – Other Categories

C-terminal telopeptide is produced when type I collagen in the bone is degraded and so released into the blood. Within collagen structure, made up of a triple helix of 3 amino acid chains, C-telopeptide is located at the C-terminus, and at the N-terminus there is an N-telopeptide. Both the N and the C-telopeptides are involved in the formation of collagen enzymatic cross links which are crucial for Collagen properties in the connective tissues of the body such as the bone and skin. Collagen properties allow connective tissues to be strong, stiff and maintain their structural integrity. Furthermore collagen acts as a scaffold for other extracellular matrix proteins. Due to the presence of C-telopeptide in the blood following the degradation of type 1 collagen, C-telopeptide can be used to monitor the progression of bone diseases where the pathogenesis commonly involves bone degradation.