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Related Concept Videos

Elastin is Responsible for Tissue Elasticity01:12

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...
The Effect of Aging on Tissues01:19

The Effect of Aging on Tissues

Several body functions deteriorate with age. The external signs of aging are easily identifiable. For example, the skin becomes dry, less elastic, and thins out, forming wrinkles. The skin of the face begins to appear looser due to a decrease in the levels of elastic and collagen fibers in the connective tissue. Additionally, melanin production in the hair follicle decreases with age, resulting in gray hair. Moreover, the senses of sight and hearing decline, so glasses and hearing aids may...
Extracellular Matrix01:26

Extracellular Matrix

Unlike epithelial tissue, which is composed of cells closely packed with little or no extracellular space in between, connective tissue cells are dispersed in a matrix. This extracellular matrix (ECM) is composed of fibrous proteins like collagen, elastin, and fibronectin in a ground substance consisting of interstitial fluid, cell adhesion proteins, and proteoglycans. The proteoglycans form a gel-like material in the spaces between cells and provide hydration, buffering, binding, and force...
Tissue Renewal without Stem Cells01:23

Tissue Renewal without Stem Cells

After cellular or tissue damage, the resident stem cells present in the human body can locally repair and regenerate the damaged tissue or organ. However, even though some tissues do not have stem cells, they can repair and regenerate with the help of pre-existing cells. For example, beta cells of the pancreas and hepatocytes of the liver can divide to renew and regenerate the tissue. Here, both cell division and cell death are well regulated by homeostasis.
However, failure of such a system...
Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells01:12

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

The skin is divided into epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, the skin's outermost, middle, and inner layers. The human epidermal layer regularly undergoes renewal, where old, dead cells are replaced by new cells. Epidermal stem cells or EpiSCs divide and differentiate to restore the lost cells. For the renewal process, some EpiSCs continuously self-renew. In contrast, few others differentiate into transit-amplifying cells, which later form prickle or spinous cells, followed by granular cells,...
Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells01:19

Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells

Epidermal stem cells (EpiSCs) are mainly located at the basal layer of the epidermis. These cells repair minor injuries of the skin and replace dead skin cells. However, EpiSCs’ cannot heal severe wounds such as major burns or those from diabetes or hereditary disorders. In such cases, culturing the epidermal stem cells from the patient is possible and has yielded successful treatment options, such as laboratory-grown skin grafts. These grafts are synthesized using a patient’s own EpiSCs...

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Fibroblast-specific deletion of Yap/Taz impairs mouse postnatal dermal development by diminishing collagenous matrix.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Quantifying the Modulation of Elastase Enzyme Activity Through Colorimetric Analysis
04:30

Quantifying the Modulation of Elastase Enzyme Activity Through Colorimetric Analysis

Published on: January 17, 2025

Circulating elastin fragments drive systemic aging: Where do pro-aging elastin fragments come from? A mini-review.

Taihao Quan1

  • 1Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

Mechanisms of Ageing and Development
|July 7, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Aging releases elastin fragments from tissues like arteries, lungs, and skin, driving inflammation and aging. Identifying these sources is key to developing targeted interventions against aging processes.

Keywords:
AgingElastin fragmentsMatrikine

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 9, 2026

Quantifying the Modulation of Elastase Enzyme Activity Through Colorimetric Analysis
04:30

Quantifying the Modulation of Elastase Enzyme Activity Through Colorimetric Analysis

Published on: January 17, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Biogerontology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Tissue Engineering

Background:

  • Circulating elastin fragments are implicated in inflammaging and systemic aging.
  • Elastin, a key structural protein, is concentrated in mechanically stressed tissues like the aorta, lungs, and skin.
  • Age-related tissue degeneration and increased elastolytic protease activity may cause elastin fragment release.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the primary anatomical sources of circulating elastin fragments during aging.
  • To examine the elastolytic enzymes responsible for generating these fragments.
  • To establish a framework for tissue-targeted interventions against the ECM-inflammaging axis.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on elastin distribution, aging, and protease activity.
  • Analysis of proposed mechanisms for elastin fragment generation in different tissues.
  • Synthesis of information to delineate the relative contributions of various anatomical sources.

Main Results:

  • Key anatomical compartments contributing elastin fragments include the aorta, lungs, and skin.
  • Upregulated elastolytic proteases (neutrophil elastase, MMPs) are crucial in fragment generation.
  • Chronic release of bioactive fragments fuels inflammaging and systemic aging.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the sources of circulating elastin fragments is critical for comprehending inflammaging.
  • Targeting specific anatomical sources and their associated proteases offers a potential therapeutic strategy.
  • This knowledge provides a mechanistic basis for developing interventions to disrupt the ECM-inflammaging axis.