title: Elastic fibres.
abstract: Elastic fibres are essential extracellular matrix macromolecules comprising an elastin core surrounded by a mantle of fibrillin-rich microfibrils. They endow connective tissues such as blood vessels, lungs and skin with the critical properties of elasticity and resilience. The biology of elastic fibres is complex because they have multiple components, a tightly regulated developmental deposition, a multi-step hierarchical assembly and unique biomechanical functions. However, their molecular complexity is at last being unravelled by progress in identifying interactions between component molecules, ultrastructural analyses and studies of informative mouse models.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Manchester, UK. cay.kielty@man.ac.uk
authors.forename: Cay M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kielty
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sherratt
authors.forename: C Adrian
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Shuttleworth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004549:Elastin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000071837:Fibrillins; D006801:Humans; D020894:Microfibrils / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D023421:Models, Animal; D015394:Molecular Structure; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000071837:Fibrillins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D004549:Elastin