The formation of the triple helical structure involves several steps: 1. Synthesis of Procollagen: Within the cell, collagen is first synthesized as procollagen, which contains additional peptide sequences at both ends. 2. Post-Translational Modifications: Procollagen undergoes hydroxylation and glycosylation, which are crucial for stability. 3. Triple Helix Formation: The modified procollagen molecules spontaneously form a triple helix in the endoplasmic reticulum. 4. Extracellular Processing: The procollagen is secreted outside the cell, where specific enzymes cleave the terminal peptide sequences, converting procollagen into mature collagen.
