Elastin Bundles Research Articles

Effect of Flavanoidal Rich Novel Vesicular Cream on the Cellular Components of Skin Against UV Irradiation

Skin cancer is a progressive disease which causes degradation of ECM components that leads to inflammation of skin, formation of wrinkles, epidermal hyperplasia and disturbances in the dermal collagen and elastin bundles. Exposure of UV radiation causes release of various enzymes and chemicals mediators which acts as a marker in the detection of cellular degeneration. MMP-1 and TNF-α are markers of cell damage by UV irradiation. Since skin cancer hampers the normal cellular functions, the property of the skin to rejuvenate and replenish itself gets destroyed. We, in our study have put forward an approach to treat the UV radiation caused skin cancer naturally by formulating novel vesicular cream of Aloe vera. The novel vesicle selected was ethosomes because of their good skin penetration property. Aloe vera is used as the phytosources because of its proven ability in treating skin complications. Through our study we have tried to prove the successful encapsulating efficacy of ethosomes particularly for herbal extracts and its skin targeting potentials. Aloe vera extract incorporated ethosomes were developed as cream formulations whose efficacy was established through different skin parameters in vitro and in vivo.

The Anterolateral Ligament Has Similar Biomechanical and Histologic Properties to the Inferior Glenohumeral Ligament

To characterize the tensile and histologic properties of the anterolateral ligament (ALL), inferior glenohumeral ligament (IGHL), and knee capsule. Standardized samples of the ALL (n= 19), anterolateral knee capsule (n=15), and IGHL (n= 13) were isolated from fresh-frozen human cadavers for uniaxial tensile testing to failure. An additional 6 samples of the ALL, capsule, and IGHL were procured for histologic analysis and determination of elastin content. All investigated mechanical properties were significantly greater for both the ALL and IGHL when compared with capsular tissue. In contrast, no significant differences between the ALL and IGHL were found for any property. The elastic modulus of ALL and IGHL samples was 174 ± 92MPa and 139 ± 60MPa, respectively, compared with 62 ± 30MPa for the capsule (P= .001). Ultimate stress was significantly lower (P < .001) for the capsule, at 13.4±7.7MPa, relative to the ALL and IGHL, at 46.4 ± 20.1MPa and 38.7 ± 16.3MPa, respectively. The ultimate strain at failure was 37.8% ± 7.9% for the ALL and 39.5% ± 9.4% for the IGHL; this was significantly greater (P= .041 and P=.02, respectively) for both relative to the capsule, at 32.6% ± 8.4%. The strain energy density was 7.8 ± 3.1MPa for the ALL, 2.1 ± 1.3MPa for the capsule, and 7.1 ± 3.1MPa for the IGHL (P < .001). The ALL and IGHL consisted ofcollagen bundles aligned in a parallel manner, containing elastin bundles, which was in contrast to the random collagenarchitecture noted in capsule samples. The ALL has similar tensile and histologic properties totheIGHL. The tensile properties of the ALL are significantly greater than those observed in the knee capsule. CLINICALRELEVANCE: The ALL is not just a thickening of capsular tissue and should be considered a distinct ligamentous structure comparable to the IGHL in the shoulder. The tensile behavior of the ALL is similar to the IGHL, and treatment strategies should take this into account.

Bat wing biometrics: using collagen-elastin bundles in bat wings as a unique individual identifier.

The ability to recognize individuals within an animal population is fundamental to conservation and management. Identification of individual bats has relied on artificial marking techniques that may negatively affect the survival and alter the behavior of individuals. Biometric systems use biological characteristics to identify individuals. The field of animal biometrics has expanded to include recognition of individuals based upon various morphologies and phenotypic variations including pelage patterns, tail flukes, and whisker arrangement. Biometric systems use 4 biologic measurement criteria: universality, distinctiveness, permanence, and collectability. Additionally, the system should not violate assumptions of capture-recapture methods that include no increased mortality or alterations of behavior. We evaluated whether individual bats could be uniquely identified based upon the collagen-elastin bundles that are visible with gross examination of their wings. We examined little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus), northern long-eared bats (M. septentrionalis), big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), and tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) to determine whether the "wing prints" from the bundle network would satisfy the biologic measurement criteria. We evaluated 1,212 photographs from 230 individual bats comparing week 0 photos with those taken at weeks 3 or 6 and were able to confirm identity of individuals over time. Two blinded evaluators were able to successfully match 170 individuals in hand to photographs taken at weeks 0, 3, and 6. This study suggests that bats can be successfully re-identified using photographs taken at previous times. We suggest further evaluation of this methodology for use in a standardized system that can be shared among bat conservationists.

Diversity in the organization of elastin bundles and intramembranous muscles in bat wings

Unlike birds and insects, bats fly with wings composed of thin skin that envelops the bones of the forelimb and spans the area between the limbs, digits, and sometimes the tail. This skin is complex and unusual; it is thinner than typical mammalian skin and contains organized bundles of elastin and embedded skeletal muscles. These elements are likely responsible for controlling the shape of the wing during flight and contributing to the aerodynamic capabilities of bats. We examined the arrangement of two macroscopic architectural elements in bat wings, elastin bundles and wing membrane muscles, to assess the diversity in bat wing skin morphology. We characterized the plagiopatagium and dactylopatagium of 130 species from 17 families of bats using cross-polarized light imaging. This method revealed structures with distinctive relative birefringence, heterogeneity of birefringence, variation in size, and degree of branching. We used previously published anatomical studies and tissue histology to identify birefringent structures, and we analyzed their architecture across taxa. Elastin bundles, muscles, neurovasculature, and collagenous fibers are present in all species. Elastin bundles are oriented in a predominantly spanwise or proximodistal direction, and there are five characteristic muscle arrays that occur within the plagiopatagium, far more muscle than typically recognized. These results inform recent functional studies of wing membrane architecture, support the functional hypothesis that elastin bundles aid wing folding and unfolding, and further suggest that all bats may use these architectural elements for flight. All species also possess numerous muscles within the wing membrane, but the architecture of muscle arrays within the plagiopatagium varies among families. To facilitate present and future discussion of these muscle arrays, we refine wing membrane muscle nomenclature in a manner that reflects this morphological diversity. The architecture of the constituents of the skin of the wing likely plays a key role in shaping wings during flight.

An efficacy and safety of nanofractional radiofrequency for the treatment of striae alba.

Striae distensae (SD) is a form of dermal scar. A number of treatments have been proposed, but they usually have unsatisfactory result especially in striae alba. Recently, nanofractional RF has been developed. Its mechanism of action is to stimulate dermal remodeling and epidermal re-epithelization. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nanofractional RF in the treatment of striae alba. This is an experimental, assessor-blinded, before-after study. Thirty-three subjects, with striae alba on their thighs, abdomen, or buttocks (11 subjects each) were enrolled. Treatments with nanofractional RF were undergone for a total of three sessions at 4-week intervals. Clinical outcomes were assessed, by comparing pre- and post-treatment measurement of total lesional surface area (using digital Pictzar™ software), and length and width of lesions. Histopathological evaluation was also performed. At 4 weeks after the last treatment, the total surface area, and the width and the length of striae alba significantly decreased from the baseline (P < 0.001). Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation was reported in six subjects. Regarding histopathology, the average mean number of collagen and elastin bundles was significantly increased (P = 0.005 and 0.012, respectively). Nanofractional RF is highly effective with a good safety profile for the treatment of striae alba.

Preservation of allogeneic aortic grafts in anhydric sodium chloride attenuates host immune reaction (P2227)

Abstract In case of infection of artificial arterial grafts, replacement by allografts becomes a method of choice. Unfortunately, allografts evoke strong immune reaction. For this reason, a method for successful long-term preservation of arterial allografts with unchanged morphology and low antigenicity is needed. We preserved the fragments of rat or pig aorta in anhydric NaCl and stored them in 4oC for up to 24 months, and subsequently transplanted them into rat or pig recipients for up to 24 or 6 months respectively. Routine hematoxyline/eosine and trichrome azan stainings, as well as electron microscopic studies showed the preserved anatomical structure of transplanted aortae and revealed normal structure of elastin fibers, the presence of fibroblasts between elastin bundles and single endothelial-like cells. No significant differences between preserved transplanted and non-preserved aortae stained for CD31, CD54, RECA-1 were observed. We also observed only slight infiltration of ED1 (CD 68), OX6 (MHC clas II) and W3/13 (CD43) positive cells around the allografts and this immunological reaction was only weakly expressed. No regional lymph nodes reaction was noticed. These observations suggest that preservation in anhydric NaCl may serve as a novel method to obtain low immunogenicity arterial allografts.

A new uterus, a new beginning

A new uterus, a new beginning

Collagen and elastin fibers in human pulmonary alveolar walls.

The morphology and morphometric data of collagen and elastin fibers in the pulmonary alveolar walls are presented. Specimens were obtained from postmortem lungs quick-frozen at specified transpulmonary pressures. Collagen was stained by silver, and elastin was stained by orcein. Photomicrographs were composed by computer. Young lungs typically show small collagen fibers that radiate from the "posts," whereas larger fiber bundles traverse the septum irrespective of capillary blood vessels. In older lungs, rings of collagen around the posts appear enlarged. Elastin bundles do not show obvious variation in pattern with age and inflation pressure. Statistical frequency distributions of the fiber width and curvature are both skewed, but the square root of the width and the cube root of the curvature have approximate normal distributions. Typically, for young lungs at transpulmonary pressure of 4 cmH2O, the mean of (width)1/2 (in micron1/2) for collagen fibers is 0.952 +/- 0.242 (SD), that of (curvature)1/3 (in micron-1/3) is 0.349 +/- 0.094. The corresponding values for elastin are 0.986 +/- 0.255 and 0.395 +/- 0.094.

Elastogenesis in healing wounds in bats.

Full-thickness square wounds were made in the webs of fruit bats. Elastin was laid down in the healing scars of these wounds in two forms--as single fibers under the regenerated epidermis, and as bundles of fine fibers taking their origin and orientation from the cut ends of the web elastin bundles. This process continued over a period of 6 months, during which time other components of the scar became reduced in amount. The arrangement of the new elastin in the scar tissue was thus a replica of that seen in the normal web. There are indications in this study that elastin imparts elasticity to the scar.

Electron microscopy and optical diffraction of elastin

The ultrastructural organization of purified elastin has been studied with the aid of electron microscopy and optical diffraction. Elastin fibril bundles were observed to have a considerable range of diameters. The basic morphological component resolved in negatively stained preparations of elastin bundles was seen as a slender filament of undefined length arranged roughly parallel to the long fibre axis. The diameter of the filaments was 3–4nm with an average centre-to-centre distance of 5nm. A regular periodicity of about 4–4.5nm was resolved along the individual filaments. Evidence of ‘cross-bridging’ spaced at about 3–3.5nm along the filaments was also resolved in many electron micrographs. Analysis of the electron micrographs with the aid of optical diffraction showed spectra with an equatorial reflection of 5nm and weak near meridional spectra at 4nm. The electron microscope images when considered together with independent X-ray diffraction data, suggested a model for the elastin filament as being a rope-like structure of about 3.5–4.Onm dia and composed of paired sub-filaments of about 1.5nm dia. The proposed model also offered a possible explanation for the small changes observed in the axial periodicity along the elastin filaments, on the basis of their being in a stretched or relaxed state.