elastincontaining

Elastincontaining refers to tissues, biomaterials, or proteins that include elastin, the insoluble extracellular matrix protein that confers elasticity to vertebrate tissues. Elastin is produced as soluble tropoelastin by fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells, secreted into the extracellular matrix, and then crosslinked by lysyl oxidase to form durable, insoluble elastin fibers. These fibers are often organized with a scaffold of microfibrils rich in fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2, which help guide assembly and provide structural integrity.

Elastin-containing tissues include large arteries (notably the aorta and elastic arteries), lungs, skin, ligaments, and certain vocal folds. The primary function is to provide elastic recoil after stretch, enabling tissues to resume original shape after deformation, which is essential for vascular windkessel function and lung expansion.

With aging and disease, elastin content and integrity decline due to degradation by elastases and reduced synthesis, leading to stiffness and diminished recoil. Conditions linked to elastin defects include cutis laxa (caused by mutations in elastin or processing factors) and elastin gene deletion in Williams syndrome, with cardiovascular implications. Environmental factors such as smoking accelerate elastin degradation and contribute to emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Researchers study elastin-containing materials using histology with elastin-specific stains (e.g., Verhoeff-Van Gieson) and measurements of elastin-derived crosslinks such as desmosine and isodesmosine. In biomaterials, elastin-containing polymers and elastin-like polypeptides are engineered to mimic native elasticity for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.