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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
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Using In Vivo and Tissue and Cell Explant Approaches to Study the Morphogenesis and Pathogenesis of the Embryonic and Perinatal Aorta
Published on: September 12, 2017
The importance of elastin to aortic development in mice
Jessica E Wagenseil1, Christopher H Ciliberto, Russell H Knutsen
1Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Saint Louis Univ., 3507 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103, USA. jwagense@slu.edu
Summary
Elastin is crucial for cardiovascular development in the final days of fetal growth. Reduced elastin levels in mice lead to high blood pressure and arterial issues, highlighting its essential role.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Elastin provides elasticity and energy storage in arteries during the cardiac cycle.
- Arterial elastin production increases significantly during the last third of gestation, coinciding with rising blood pressure and cardiac output.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the structure, hemodynamics, and mechanics of developing arteries with reduced elastin.
- To determine the critical developmental period for elastin's requirement in the vertebrate cardiovascular system.
Main Methods:
- Studied mice lacking elastin (Eln(-/-)) and those with half normal levels (Eln(+/-)).
- Assessed arterial morphology, left ventricular blood pressure, and cardiac function up to embryonic day 18 and post-birth.
Main Results:
- Mice with reduced elastin showed normal cardiovascular development until embryonic day 18.
- Elastin-deficient mice died post-birth with hypertension and stenotic arteries.
- Mice with half normal elastin levels developed thicker vessel walls and 25% higher blood pressure than controls.
Conclusions:
- Elastin is essential for normal cardiovascular structure and function in mice only during the final days of fetal development.
- Elevated blood pressure during this period may necessitate elastin to maintain cardiovascular function.
- Understanding elastin's role and hemodynamic forces can inform treatments for human elastinopathies and tissue engineering.
