[Experimental study on distribution of elastic fiber in arterial wall]

Elastin is not only one of fundamental components of arterial wall but also an albuminoid substance related to diseases such as aortic dissecting aneurysm. Distributions of elastic fiber in arterial wall were measured using image processing in animal experiment. Statistical results show that the elastic fiber content in arterial wall decreases along the ascending aorta, aortic arch and descending aorta, but the axial distribution of elastic fiber in aortic arch is uniform. Furthermore, the axial distributions in four representative circumferential positions nearly exhibit no notable differences. Hence, the circumferential distribution of elastic fiber in arterial wall is uniform. On the contrary, the radial distribution of elastic fiber in arterial wall is non-uniform, and the elastic fiber content in the internal layer decreased distinctly, compared with that in the middle layer and the external layer. Therefore, the blood vessel can be reasonably simplified as 3-dimensional symmetrical composite material with segments in axial direction and layers in radial direction to a certain extent.