title: X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy of bovine media aortic wall.
abstract: Scanning electron microscopy and high angle X-ray diffraction were used to define the relationship between collagen and elastin of bovine aortic wall. The diffraction pattern shows on one hand that the broad rings at 4.5 A and 9 A, due to elastin, do not orient on stretching and on the other hand, that the collagen rings at 11 A and 2.9 A start to orient at low elongations. These data together with scanning electron microscopy suggest a tight structural relationship between collagen and elastin that should influence the mechanics of deformation at all degrees of elongation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002417:Cattle; D003094:Collagen; D004549:Elastin; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen; D004549:Elastin