Aortic aneurysm is an asymptomatic disease with dire outcomes if undiagnosed. Aortic
aneurysm rupture is a significant cause of death worldwide. To date, surgical repair or …

Large, elastic arteries are composed of cells and a specialized extracellular matrix that
provides reversible elasticity and strength. Elastin is the matrix protein responsible for this …

Large artery stiffness, as measured by pulse wave velocity, is correlated with high blood
pressure and may be a causative factor in essential hypertension. The extracellular matrix …

Conventional views of the tunica adventitia as a poorly organized layer of vessel wall
composed of fibroblasts, connective tissue, and perivascular nerves are undergoing …

Because of structural and cellular differences (ie, degrees of matrix abundance and cross-
linking, mural cell density, and adventitia), large and medium-sized vessels, in comparison …

In numerous applications, from working with animal models to mapping the genetic basis of
human disease susceptibility, knowing whether a single disrupting mutation in a gene is …

Elastic fibers provide recoil to tissues that undergo repeated deformation, such as blood
vessels, lungs and skin. Composed of elastin and its accessory proteins, the fibers are …

The developing heart is formed of two tissue layers separated by an extracellular matrix
(ECM) that provides chemical and physical signals to cardiac cells. While deposition of …

Recent observations suggest that the adventitial layer of blood vessels exhibits properties
resembling a stem/progenitor cell niche. Progenitor cells have been isolated from the …

Many extensible tissues such as skin, lungs, and blood vessels require elasticity to function
properly. The recoil of elastic energy stored during a stretching phase is provided by elastic …