ABSTRACT
Elastomeric proteins are widely distributed among a diverse range of animal species and tissues in which they have evolved precise structures to perform specific biological functions. These proteins, which include abductin,[1] tropoelastin,[2,3] bysuss,[4] silk,[5,6] and titin all possess rubberlike elasticity. This flexibility enables them to undergo high deformation without rupture, store energy involved in deformation, and then recover to their original state when the stress is removed. Significantly, the resilience of these bioelastomeric proteins dominates low-strain mechanical responses, which minimizes fatigue and failure due to repetitive loads by preventing the dissipation of transmitted energy into heat. In man, elastin is an important component of tissues subjected to repetitive strain, such as the arterial wall, aortic and mitral valves, plus skin and pulmonary alveoli. In certain circumstances, elastin also serves an important physiologic role by facilitating tissue shape recovery upon deformation. A case in point is respiration, which is dependent upon effective air exchange that is linked to rapid alveolar recoil during expiration.
