Elastin as a random-network elastomer: A mechanical and optical analysis of single elastin fibers
✍ Scribed by B. B. Aaron; J. M. Gosline
- Publisher
- Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
- Year
- 1981
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 818 KB
- Volume
- 20
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0006-3525
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
The physical properties of single, 5–8‐μm diameter, water‐swollen elastin fibers have been investigated on a microtest apparatus attached to a polarizing microscope. Analysis of the mechanical and optical properties at extensions below 100% indicate that the elastic modulus (G) has a value of 4.1 × 10^5^ N m^−2^, the average molecular weight of chains between crosslinks is in the range of 6000–7100, and the stress optical coefficient (C′) is 1 × 10^−9^ m^2^ N^−1^ at 24°C. Analysis of the temperature dependence of the stress optical coefficient indicates that the polarizability of the random link decreases with increasing temperature, with an apparent activation energy for this process of the order of 1.6 kcal/mol. Analysis of the non‐Gaussian mechanical and optical properties at extensions above about 100% suggest that the chains between crosslinks contain approximately 10 “effective” random links, with each link consisting of 7–8 amino acid residues. These parameters for the random chains in the elastin network have been used to predict the dimensions of other random proteins. The close correlation of these predictions with published values for the dimensions of a series of proteins in solution in 6__M__ guanidinium hydrochloride provides an independent test of the appropriateness of our analysis.