Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Elastin is Responsible for Tissue Elasticity

Elastin is Responsible for Tissue Elasticity

Elastic fiber contains the protein elastin along with lesser amounts of other proteins and glycoproteins. The main property of elastin is that it will return to its original shape after being stretched or compressed. Elastic fibers are prominent in elastic tissues found in skin and the elastic ligaments of the vertebral column.
Ligaments and tendons are made of dense regular connective tissue, but in ligaments not all fibers are parallel. Dense regular elastic tissue contains elastin fibers and...

DNA Isolation

DNA Isolation

DNA isolation protocols can be fast and straightforward or complex and time-consuming depending on the type and quality of DNA required for further processing. For example, plasmid DNA extraction is a bit more complicated than genomic DNA extraction because of the need for an appropriate lysis method to separate plasmid DNA from gDNA during isolation. However, for specific applications, such as long-range DNA sequencing that require a good yield of high- quality DNA samples, we need to follow...

DNA Isolation

DNA Isolation

DNA from cells is required for many biotechnology and research applications, such as molecular cloning. To remove and purify DNA from cells, researchers use various methods of DNA extraction. While the specifics of different protocols may vary, some general concepts underlie the process of DNA extraction.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Latent transforming growth factor binding protein-2 (LTBP2), an IPF biomarker of clinical decline, promotes TGF-beta signaling and lung fibrosis in mice.

American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology·2026

Same author

Loss of MFAP5 and Its Effect on Skin Homeostasis and Wound Healing.

FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·2025

Same author

Elastin Regulation of Vasoreactivity in Resistance Arteries.

Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)·2025

Same author

Latent transforming growth factor binding protein-2 (LTBP2), an IPF biomarker of clinical decline, promotes TGF-beta signaling and lung fibrosis in mice.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Same author

Distinct Patterns of Smooth Muscle Phenotypic Modulation in Thoracic and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

Journal of cardiovascular development and disease·2024

Same author

Multi-organ phenotypes in mice lacking latent TGFβ binding protein 2 (LTBP2).

Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Efficient Purification of Elastin-Like Polypeptides (ELPs) from E. coli Using an Organic Solvent-based Extraction and Precipitation Method

Efficient Purification of Elastin-Like Polypeptides (ELPs) from E. coli Using an Organic Solvent-based Extraction and Precipitation Method

Published on: January 9, 2026

Methods in elastic tissue biology: elastin isolation and purification.

Robert P Mecham¹

¹Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. bmecham@wustl.edu

Methods (San Diego, Calif.)

|April 30, 2008

Summary

Purifying elastin, a protein crucial for tissue recoil, is challenging due to its insolubility. This review details methods for isolating both insoluble elastin and soluble tropoelastin, aiding research into its function.

More Related Videos

Non-chromatographic Purification of Recombinant Elastin-like Polypeptides and their Fusions with Peptides and Proteins from Escherichia coli

Non-chromatographic Purification of Recombinant Elastin-like Polypeptides and their Fusions with Peptides and Proteins from Escherichia coli

Published on: June 9, 2014

Preparation of Extracellular Matrix Protein Fibers for Brillouin Spectroscopy

Preparation of Extracellular Matrix Protein Fibers for Brillouin Spectroscopy

Published on: September 15, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Efficient Purification of Elastin-Like Polypeptides (ELPs) from E. coli Using an Organic Solvent-based Extraction and Precipitation Method

Efficient Purification of Elastin-Like Polypeptides (ELPs) from E. coli Using an Organic Solvent-based Extraction and Precipitation Method

Published on: January 9, 2026

Non-chromatographic Purification of Recombinant Elastin-like Polypeptides and their Fusions with Peptides and Proteins from Escherichia coli

Non-chromatographic Purification of Recombinant Elastin-like Polypeptides and their Fusions with Peptides and Proteins from Escherichia coli

Published on: June 9, 2014

Preparation of Extracellular Matrix Protein Fibers for Brillouin Spectroscopy

Preparation of Extracellular Matrix Protein Fibers for Brillouin Spectroscopy

Published on: September 15, 2016

Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Extracellular Matrix Biology
Protein Chemistry

Background:

Elastin is a key extracellular matrix protein providing elasticity to tissues like blood vessels and lungs.
It is synthesized as a soluble monomer, tropoelastin, which polymerizes into an insoluble, crosslinked network.
The unique properties of elastin present significant challenges for biochemical isolation and study.

Purpose of the Study:

To review common purification strategies for both insoluble mature elastin and soluble tropoelastin.
To highlight the difficulties associated with isolating these elastin forms.
To discuss considerations for studying tropoelastin production in cell culture.

Main Methods:

Description of established protocols for isolating insoluble elastin, often involving harsh extraction methods.
Outline of techniques for purifying soluble tropoelastin, addressing its sticky nature and proteolytic susceptibility.
Discussion of cell culture approaches for assessing elastin expression and production.

Main Results:

Insoluble elastin purification relies on removing contaminants, yielding a product with expected amino acid composition.
Soluble tropoelastin purification requires careful handling due to its adhesive properties and degradation sensitivity.
Elastin production in cell cultures is variable and influenced by cell type, culture conditions, and passage number.

Conclusions:

Effective purification of elastin and tropoelastin requires specialized techniques tailored to their distinct physical properties.
Understanding these purification challenges is critical for accurate biochemical analysis and functional studies of elastin.
Further research into optimizing tropoelastin production and purification is warranted for advancing elastin-related research.