Cytoskeletal mechanics regulates cell morphodynamics and many physiological processes. While contractility is known to be largely RhoA-dependent, the process by which localized biochemical signals are translated into cell-level responses is poorly understood. Here we combine optogenetic control of RhoA, live-cell imaging and traction force microscopy to investigate the dynamics of actomyosin-ba...

The permanganate-bisulfite-toluidine blue reaction is a highly selective and sensitive method for demonstrating elastic fibers under polarizing optics. Resilience and elastic recoil are properties conferred on all vertebrate elastic tissues by elastic fibers [1,2]. The amorphous component is made up of insoluble elastin, a highly cross-linked and hydrophobic protein assembled from soluble precu...

In senile disciform macular degeneration the retina and pigment epithelium are elevated by serous fluid, which arises from subpigment epithelial fibrovascular tissue originating from the choroid. Disciform macular degeneration was described in the igth century (Oeller, I893) and yet by 1939, when the "Text-Book of Ophthalmology" was being written, Duke-Elder (I940) could find only I30 cases in ...

Congenital cutis laxa is a rare, clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of inherited disorders. It is characterized by degenerative changes in elastic fibres and manifests with skin laxity. Here we presented a six-month old boy with congenital cutis laxa associated with growth retardation. We reveal ultrastructural findings and discussed the differential diagnosis.

Figure 2: Histopathological testing. Left ventricular (LV) myocardial tissue with endocardial fibroelastosis, dilated type. (a) Hypocellular fibrous tissue with multiple lamellae of coarse elastic fibres arranged parallel to the luminal surface (van Gieson’s stain, ×200). (b) The endocardium is extremely thickened extending in the subendocardium (Masson’s trichrome stain, ×200). Note that this ...

THE description of the microscopic structure of individual trabecular fibres given by Salzmann (1912) has been accepted for many years, and it is only as a result of recent electron microscopic studies that his classical concepts have had to be modified. The principle modification concerns the finer structure of the "clear" zone which lies beneath the trabecular endothelium and surrounds the ce...

Muscle samples were taken from the gluteus, semitendinosus and longissimus muscles of a captive cheetah immediately after euthanasia. Fibres were 'skinned' to remove all membranes, leaving the contractile filament array intact and functional. Segments of skinned fibres from these cheetah muscles and from rabbit psoas muscle were activated at 20°C by a temperature-jump protocol. Step and ramp le...

The fibulins are a family of proteins that are associated with basement membranes and elastic extracellular matrix fibres. This review summarizes findings from studies of animal models of fibulin deficiency, human fibulin gene mutations, human tumours and injury models that have advanced our understanding of the normal and pathological roles of members of this formerly obscure family.

The interosseous muscle of the fore foot of the sheep is multipennate, with large tendons but extremely short muscle fibres. It is believed to save energy in locomotion by elastic storage in its tendons and its sheath. Its rebound resilience (at 5-7 Hz and 20-37 degrees C) is about 0.62.

For the treatment of vascular disease, the major cause of death in Western society, there is an urgent need for tissue-engineered, biocompatible, small calibre artery substitutes that restore biological function. Vascular tissue engineering of such grafts involves the development of compliant synthetic or biomaterial scaffolds that incorporate vascular cells and extracellular matrix. Elastic fi...