elastins

Extracellular scleroproteins capable of two-way stretch and rapid recoil. The amount of stretch is limited by the tethering effect of interwoven inelastic collagen fibrils. Elastins are present in quantity in the lungs, large arteries, the ligaments of the spine and in the skin.

Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005

References in periodicals archive ?

"It is the co-ordinated assembly of many tropoelastins into elastin that gives tissues their stretchy properties and this exquisite assembly helps to generate elastic tissues as diverse as artery, lung and skin.

"This high level of physical performance demanded of elastin vastly exceeds and indeed outlasts all human-made elastics.

"All mammals rely on elastin to provide their tissues with the ability to stretch and then return to their original shape," said researcher Dr Clair Baldock.

Study finds secret behind humans' near-perfect tissue elasticity over a lifetime

Full browser ?

CITE

Site: Follow: Share:

Open / Close