elastin

elastin

 [e-las´tin]

a yellow scleroprotein, the essential constituent of elastic connective tissue; it is brittle when dry, but flexible and elastic when moist.

e·las·tin

(ē-las'tin), [MIM*130160]

A yellow elastic fibrous mucoprotein that is the major connective tissue protein of elastic structures (for example, large blood vessels, tendons, ligaments); elastins precursor is proelastin.

Synonym(s): elasticin

elastin

/elas·tin/ (e-las´tin) a yellow scleroprotein, the essential constituent of elastic connective tissue; it is brittle when dry, but when moist is flexible and elastic.

elastin

(ĭ-lăs′tĭn)

n.

A protein similar to collagen that is the principal structural component of elastic fibers.

elastin

[ilas′tin]

Etymology: Gk, elaunein, to drive

a protein that forms the principal substance of yellow elastic tissue fibers.

elastin

A fibrous protein which is similar to collagen (in that one-third of the amino acids are glycine) with abundant proline, valine, and arginine, and which is formed by cross-linking small globular subunits to lysine residues. Elastin’s elasticity is ideally suited for its prominent role in arterial walls, vocal cords, alveolar septa, and ligaments, and has an amorphous wavy appearance by light microscopy. Defects in the cross-linking in elastin’s unique beta spiral, as well as increases or decreases in elastin, are implicated in coronary heart disease, emphysema, type-V Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Menke’s kinky hair disease, pseudoxanthoma elasticum, and X-linked cutis laxa.

e·las·tin

(ĕ-las'tin)

A yellow elastic fibrous mucoprotein that is the major connective tissue protein of elastic structures (large blood vessels, tendons, and ligaments).
Synonym(s): elasticin.

elastin

the major protein found in ELASTIC FIBRES, responsible for the extensible and resilient nature of tissues, such as the skin, lung and larger blood vessels.

connective tissues

tissues with a variety of functions including support, protection and partitioning around and within body structures. Different types vary from delicate networks to tough bands and sheets. All have cells within some type of matrix, which they form, and which may be mainly fibrous, cartilaginous, bony or fluid. Bundles of white collagen fibres (containing the protein collagen), strong and only slightly extensible, provide a supporting network in organs and tissues everywhere in the body (except the central nervous system) and in the sheaths and membranes that surround or separate them, form the basis of tendons and ligaments and are components of cartilage and bone. Extensible elastic fibres (containing the protein elastin) form networks, e.g. in the walls of arteries and in the lungs, and are a component of flexible cartilage (such as in the nose and ears); reticular fibres form delicate networks, e.g. in the skin deep to the epidermis, and in the walls of small blood vessels. The cells associated with all these fibres are known as fibroblasts or, when inactive, as fibrocytes . adipose tissue is a connective tissue with a fibrous stroma, widely distributed internally as well as subcutaneously; its cells, adipocytes, are closely related to fibrocytes; likewise the osteocytes in bone and chondrocytes in cartilage. Also classified as connective tissue are the various cells in the tissue interstices (e.g. macrophages) and in the blood.

elastin

a yellow scleroprotein, the essential constituent of elastic connective tissue; it is brittle when dry, but flexible and elastic when moist.