QUANTIFICATION OF ELASTIN RESIDUAL STRETCH IN FRESH ARTERY TISSUE: IMPACT ON ARTERY MATERIAL PROPERTIES AND PULMONARY HYPERTENSION PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

摘要

We have quantified the residual stretch of in-vivo conduit artery elastin based on both macroscopic bulk tissue dimensional changes and microscopic alterations in elastin lamellar tortouosity. This data shows an average residual strain of 4% for RPA and LPA tissues while MPA elastin appears to have no appreciable residual strain. We have further shown that calculations based on purely geometric, geometric and histologic and least-squares fitted parameters independently predict equivalent values for X.ESR, and that these values lead to agreement between the purified elastin and fresh tissue force-stretch curve data.