Elastin-based materials.
Elastin is a versatile elastic protein that dominates flexible tissues capable of recoil, and facilitates commensurate cell interactions in these tissues in all higher vertebrates. Elastin's persistence and insolubility hampered early efforts to construct versatile biomaterials. Subsequently the field has progressed substantially through the adapted use of solubilized elastin, elastin-based peptides and the increasing availability of recombinant forms of the natural soluble elastin precursor, tropoelastin. These interactions allow for the formation of a sophisticated range of biomaterial constructs and composites that benefit from elastin's physical properties of innate assembly and elasticity, and cell interactive properties as discussed in this tutorial review.
Almine
Jessica F
JF
School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Bax
Daniel V
DV
Mithieux
Suzanne M
SM
Nivison-Smith
Lisa
L
Rnjak
Jelena
J
Waterhouse
Anna
A
Wise
Steven G
SG
Weiss
Anthony S
AS
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D004548:Elasticity; D004549:Elastin / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004549:Elastin