Elastin biosynthesis and cross-link formation in rabbit aortic smooth muscle cell cultures

Rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells in culture produce insoluble elastin which can be purified by treatment with hot alkali. These cells, when maintained in the same flask for long periods of time, continue to accumulate elastin. Both desmosine and isodesmosine, cross-links unique to insoluble elastin, have also been found to increase with time in culture. The results from pulse-chase studies with radiolabeled proline and lysine confirm these observations. All the data indicate that the appearance of the desmosines in the elastin in these cell cultures is a relatively slow process, while the lysine-derived aldehydes appear quite rapidly.