Elastin
Elastin is part of connective tissue. It is an elastic protein which allows many tissues in the body to go back to their shape after stretching or contracting. Elastin helps skin return to its original position when handled. Elastin is also used in places where mechanical energy is stored.
Elastin is important in blood vessels because it helps blood to flow. It is common in large elastic blood vessels such as the aorta. Elastin is also very important in the lungs, ligaments, the skin, the bladder, and elastic cartilage. It is present in all vertebrates above the jawless fish.[1]
Elastin Media
Thick elastic fibers consisting of bundles of elastin in the human lung
Micrograph of solar elastosis
Histopathology of elastosis perforans serpiginosa
Histopathology of perforating calcific elastosis
Histopathology of linear focal elastosis
Domain structure of human tropoelastin
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References
- ↑ Sage EH, Gray WR (1977). "Evolution of elastin structure". Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 79: 291–312. doi:10.1007/978-1-4684-9093-0_27. ISBN 978-1-4684-9095-4. PMID 868643.
- ↑ Curran, Mark E. et al 1993. (1993). "The elastin gene is disrupted by a translocation associated with supravalvular aortic stenosis". Cell. 73 (1): 159–168. doi:10.1016/0092-8674(93)90168-P. PMID 8096434. S2CID 8274849. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
