PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Elastic Tissue”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources

Digital papular calcific elastosis: a histopathological, histochemical and ultrastructural study of 20 patients.

In 1960, 5 patients were reported with a condition termed "degenerative collagenous plaques of the hands". Ultraviolet light and chronic pressure seem to be the inciting factors. Clinically, it is characterized by keratotic, translucent papules, in linear array, on the radial border of the hands. Histology shows hyperkeratosis and dermal elastosis. The current study documented the histopathological, histochemical and ultrastructural features of 20 patients with this condition and considered the differential diagnoses. The findings were in accordance with those of previous studies, but peculiar, basophilic elastotic masses (BEMs), were a prominent finding. Ultrastructurally, elastic tissue appeared in the form of degenerated non-fragmented and fragmented elastic fibres, degenerated fibres showing foci of increased density, with or without a fibrillar component and as amorphous, structureless material. BEMs arose almost exclusively from degenerated elastic tissue and contained calcium. Disintegrated collagen may be incorporated in the amorphous material and, subsequently, form a minor part of BEMs. Solar elastosis, and its variants, show some similarity to degenerative collagenous plaques of the hands, but lack the constant presence of these calcified angular elastotic masses. BEMs show resemblance to elastic globes, and elastotic bodies found in elastotic nodules of the anthelix and cartilage-hair hypoplasia. In the clinical setting of "degenerative collagenous plaques of the hands", BEMs seem to be unique and due to their extensive presence serve as a non-specific marker for this condition. Digital papular calcific elastosis therefore seems to be more appropriate nomenclature.

Aged↗

Dynamic elastance and tissue resistance of isolated liquid-filled rat lungs.

The effect of the surface forces of the alveolar air-liquid interface on the dynamic behavior of lung tissue was investigated in five isolated liquid-filled rat lungs. The lungs were subjected to 0.04-Hz sinusoidal oscillation (1.5-ml tidal volume) at lung volume (VL) levels ranging from volume at zero pressure (V0) + 4 ml to V0 + 10 ml. Oscillations were performed at each VL after inflation of the lungs from V0. Alveolar pressure (PA) was measured with an alveolar capsule attached to the visceral pleura. Dynamic elastance (Edyn), tissue resistance (Rti), and hysteresivity [eta = Rti omega/Edyn, where omega is angular frequency (2 pi x frequency)] were computed from PA and VL changes. Edyn was 59.6 +/- 4.3 Pa/ml at V0 + 4 ml and varied little up to V0 + 7 ml. Thereafter, Edyn increased markedly with VL, reaching 102 +/- 16 Pa/ml at V0 + 10 ml. No significant difference was found between elastance computed from PA and that computed from pressure recorded at the airway opening. Rti was 35.2 +/- 3.6 Pa.s.ml-1 and exhibited a VL dependence similar to that of Edyn. As a result, eta was 0.16 and did not vary significantly in the explored VL range. We conclude that PA can be reliably measured in the liquid-filled lung by means of alveolar capsules. In the liquid-filled lung, Edyn was smaller than and eta was similar to values reported for air-filled lungs. Hence, surface tension accounts for a considerable part of elastance and Rti of the air-filled lung within the volume range of normal breathing.

Animals↗

Elastic fibre and hyaluronic acid in the core of human palatal rugae.

The core within the palatal rugae of humans contains elements which are believed to contribute to the maintenance of its shape. A cross-sectional study was represented by 23 specimens of human palatal mucosa aged 3 months to 80 years and stained for sulphated and non-sulphated glycosaminoglycans (GAG), elastic tissue and collagen. Statistical correlations between core margin definition and age and elastic content were significant (p less than 0.005 and p less than 0.025). It was concluded that the main structural element of a ruga is not elastic tissue or collagen but GAG which by its hydrophilic nature causes the tissue to swell and contributes to the maintenance of the shape of a ruga throughout life.

Adolescent↗

Structural and functional changes in the airway smooth muscle of asthmatic subjects.

It has been recognized since the early 1920s that the amount of smooth muscle in asthmatic subjects' airways is markedly increased. More recent studies have confirmed that in fatal asthma there is a significant increase in the thickness of airway smooth muscle. For subjects who have had asthma and who died for other reasons or had a lobectomy, the increase in muscle layer thickness is less striking. An increase in smooth muscle mass could have a dual effect on airway narrowing: one due to the thickening of airway wall, the other due to a concomitant increase in force generation. However, it is not known whether the increased muscle mass, due either to hypertrophy or hyperplasia, is accompanied by an increase in force. Proliferation of smooth muscle cells often produces noncontractile cells in vitro. Comparison of force generation by muscle preparations from asthmatic and control airways shows conflicting results, with some studies demonstrating an increase in force in asthmatic muscle preparations and others showing no increase. The discrepancy could be due to a failure to take into account the length-tension relationship of the muscle preparations in some studies. No force velocity data are available for human airway smooth muscle. However, there is some evidence for an increased amount of shortening in airway smooth muscle preparations from patients with asthma. This could be due to an increase in force generation and/or a decrease in tissue elastance in asthmatic airways. Muscle contractility and tissue elastance are in turn influenced by cytokines, matrix-degrading enzymes, and other inflammatory mediators present in the airways of asthmatic subjects. Data from in vitro studies of a canine "asthma model" indicate an increase in both shortening velocity and amount of shortening compared with littermate control animals. An increase in the compliance of the parallel elastic element of the sensitized airway preparation could account for the mechanical alterations.

Animals↗

A familial cutis laxa syndrome with ultrastructural abnormalities of collagen and elastin.

A familial cutis laxa syndrome is reported in a mother and son. In addition, the son had Klippel-Tranaunay-Weber syndrome, which may be related to his underlying disorder. Ultrastructural examination of skin revealed previously recognized abnormalities of elastic tissue. In addition, abnormalities in collagen structure are demonstrated. The underlying defect in this disorder appears to result in abnormalities in both elastic tissue and collagen structure.

Adolescent↗

Acrolocalized acquired cutis laxa.

A 55-year-old man presented with a 14-year history of loose, redundant skin on the palmar aspects of the finger tips and toe pulps, which gave a peculiar 'chewing gum' appearance. Skin biopsies of involved areas showed a normal appearance, and only a discrete decrease in the elastic fibres could be identified with an elastic tissue stain. Ultrastructural examination, however, demonstrated marked fragmentation and degeneration of the elastic tissue. Localized cutis laxa in an acral distribution, was fully developed at presentation. He gave a history of repeated episodes of swelling and urticaria of the involved areas, which we regard as being the initial inflammatory stages of this disease process.

Cutis Laxa↗

The gill in the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias: respiratory and nonrespiratory function.

Aspects of functional anatomy with respect to water and blood flow through the gills of Squalus acanthias and one specimen of Mustelus mustelus are described. A reconstruction of an entire filament has been made. The cavernous body in the proximal segment of the filament is relatively small, contains a small amount of elastic tissue, and has no connections with the underlying afferent filament artery, except at its junction to the middle segment. In the middle segment of the filament, the wall and columns of the cavernous body are well supplied with elastic tissue. The size of the cavernous body increases gradually distally. The underlying afferent filament artery opens into it with numerous pores and eventually becomes incorporated in the cavernous body. The distal segment of the filament is characterized by the rapid increase in size of the cavernous body. Toward the free edge of the filament it almost reaches the efferent filament artery; toward the diaphragm it forms an anastomosing bridge with the neighboring filaments. Wall and columns in the distal segment of the cavernous body are richly supplied with elastic tissue. The afferent filament artery is no longer discernible. In living specimens the tips of opposite filaments are in close apposition during the whole respiratory cycle. Application of artificial ventral aortic pressure to freshly killed specimens evoked the same reaction in the filament tips. The cavernous bodies provide the hydrostatic skeleton, necessary to keep the gill sieve closed. Lamellae are equipped with finger-like appendages to facilitate adherence to the opposite filament tips. Lamellar appendages also reduce the dead space between lamellae of neighboring filaments. The whole of cavernous bodies may also serve as an elastic blood reservoir with a function similar to that of the bulbus arteriosus in teleost fish. Of all suitable places, only the lamellar streambed was clear and convincing in its response to perfusion with adrenalin or acetylcholine. Structural details of the nonrespiratory circulation within the gills are described.

Animals↗

Effect of low-grade conductive heating on vascular compliance during in vitro balloon angioplasty.

Radiofrequency-powered, thermal balloon angioplasty is a new technique that enhances luminal dilatation with less dissection than conventional angioplasty. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of radiofrequency heating of balloon fluid on the pressure-volume mechanics of in vitro balloon angioplasty and to determine the histologic basis for thermal-induced compliance changes. In vitro, radiofrequency-powered, thermal balloon angioplasty was performed on 46 paired iliac segments freshly harvested from 23 nonatherosclerotic pigs. Balloon inflations at 60 degrees C were compared to room temperature inflations in paired arterial segments. Intraballoon pressure and volume were recorded during each inflation as volume infusion increased pressure over a 0 to 10 atm range. Pressure-volume compliance curves were plotted for all dilatations. Six segments were stained to assess the histologic abnormalities associated with thermal compliance changes. Radiofrequency heating acutely shifted the pressure-volume curves rightward in 20 of 23 iliac segments compared to nonheated controls. This increase in compliance persisted after heating and exceeded the maximum compliance shift caused by multiple nonheated inflations in a subset of arterial segments. Histologically, heated segments showed increased thinning and compression of the arterial wall, increased medial cell necrosis and altered elastic tissue fibers compared to nonheated specimens. In conclusion, radiofrequency heating of intraballoon fluid to 60 degrees C acutely increases vascular compliance during in vitro balloon angioplasty of nonatherosclerotic iliac arteries. The increased compliance persists after heating and can be greater than the compliance shifts induced by multiple conventional dilatations. Arterial wall thinning and irreversible alteration of elastic tissue fibers probably account for thermal compliance changes.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗

Elastic and precursor fibres in the normal human eye.

Completely formed elastic fibres consist of a core of amorphous elastin within a mantle of microfibrils. The fibrillar component may occur as isolated bundles (oxytalan) or may be randomly intermingled with variable amounts of elastin (elaunin). The distribution of both mature elastic and incomplete oxytalan and elaunin fibres in the different parts of 53 human eyes from foetal life to old age is described, as evaluated by light microscopy of histochemical preparations. In general elastic tissue was most evident in the collagenous structures save the adult cornea in which incomplete elastic fibres occur rarely and then late in life. Precursor forms predominate in early childhood and show a limited and slow capacity for maturation. The suspensory zonular fibres of the lens appear to be composed largely of oxytalan throughout life. There is also evidence that corneal epithelium and endothelium, irideal smooth muscle and, less certainly, retinal pigment epithelium can synthesise the fibrillar component, although not elastin, of elastic tissue.

Adolescent↗

[Chronic lathyrism. Protective effect of pyridinol carbamate on connective tissue lesions in the rat (author's transl)].

The use of lathyric toxins (BAPN) in low dosage (1 g/kg/day) for a period of 8 weeks caused in the rat simultaneous changes in the skin and aortic connective tissues. In the skin. collagen tissue was dislocated and broken in fragments, the elastic tissue disappeared, the fibroblasts were vacuolized and presented evidence of injury. These lesions were comparable to those observed in human skin during ageing. The addition of pyridinol carbamate (PDC) to BAPN prevents the formation of lesions of the elastic tissue and of fibroblasts. When given after the cessation of the lathyrogen treatment PDC arrested the formation of the lesions and accelerated their regression.

Aminopropionitrile↗

Elastic fibres: histological correlation with orcein and a new monoclonal antibody, HB8.

HB8 is a new monoclonal antibody, prepared against human lymphocytes, which has been found to react with elastic fibres, possibly the microfibrillar component. Samples of normal human and animal skin and human skin from various pathological conditions were subjected to immunolabelling with HB8, and alternate sections from each sample were stained by a standard orcein procedure. The individual fibres were clearly marked by the HB8 and this was confirmed by comparison with the standard elastic tissue stain. HB8 provides a new direct, practical and accurate method for the study of elastic tissue.

Adult↗

Evaluation of an iterative reconstruction method for quantitative elastography.

This paper describes an inverse reconstruction technique based on a modified Newton Raphson iterative scheme and the finite element method, which has been developed for computing the spatial distribution of Young's modulus from within soft tissues. Computer simulations were conducted to determine the relative merits of reconstructing tissue elasticity using knowledge of (a) known displacement boundary conditions (DBC), and (b) known stress boundary conditions (SBC). The results demonstrated that computing Young's modulus using knowledge of SBC allows accurate quantification of Young's modulus. However, the quality of the images produced using this reconstruction approach was dependent on the Young's modulus distribution assumed at the start of the reconstruction procedure. Computing Young's modulus from known DBC provided relative estimates of tissue elasticity which, despite the disadvantage of not being able to accurately quantify Young's modulus, formed images that were generally superior in quality to those produced using the known SBC, and were not affected by the trial solution. The results of preliminary experiments on phantoms demonstrated that this reconstruction technique is capable in practice of improving the fidelity of tissue elasticity images, reducing the artefacts otherwise present in strain images, and recovering Young's modulus images that possess excellent spatial and contrast resolution.

Computer Simulation↗

Case study on linear focal elastosis.

Linear focal elastosis is an uncommon dermal elastic disorder, characterized by palpable, linear bands clinically and an increase in abnormal elastic tissue histologically. Two similar cases are presented and discussed.

Adult↗

The "lumpy-bumpy" elastic fiber. A marker for long-term administration of penicillamine.

A 29-year-old woman with Wilson's disease developed dermolytic skin lesions 2 years after initiation of treatment with penicillamine. Eight years later, still on penicillamine therapy, striae appeared over both of her breasts. Biopsy of involved skin during the 10th year of treatment with penicillamine revealed characteristic lumpy-bumpy alterations of dermal elastic fibers which were not present in the first skin biopsy 8 years previously. Biopsy of a stria showed changes similar to those in the dermolytic skin lesions. Lumpy-bumpy elastic fibers are pathognomonic for penicillamine-induced elastosis. They are easily recognizable with examination by conventional microscopy. Their appearance may serve as a warning of potentially serious, widespread elastic tissue involvement. These abnormal elastic fibers are not only found in the skin, but also in the lungs.

Adult↗

Distribution and ultrastructural characterization of the stroma in scirrhous 'infiltrating' carcinoma of the human breast.

A combination of light microscopic, histochemical, immunohistochemical and transmission electron microscopic techniques were used to study the distribution and ultrastructural characterization of the stroma of Scirrhous 'infiltrating' carcinoma of the human breast. Both the light and electron microscopic techniques emphasized the presence of regional variations in the distribution of fibrous tissue in this type of tumour. Whilst fibronectin and collagen type III appeared relatively rich in both periductal and diffused regions, there was a clear contrast in the distribution of collagen type I and elastic tissue between the two regions. Collagen type I was more numerous in the diffused regions whereas elastic tissue was more produced in the periductal regions. The present study confirmed the views that Scirrhous carcinoma cells secrete inappropriately the majority of collagen, elastic and possibly other fibrillar elements of the connective tissue stroma. Fibroblasts, myofibroblasts and myoepithelial cells are believed to contribute in a minor way to the production of the various connective tissue elements. Finally, our findings have been discussed in relation to the mechanism of invasiveness of the tumour cells.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Cutaneous histologic features in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: study of 21 patients.

Skin biopsy specimens from 21 patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) were compared with controls. With two exceptions, the appearance of the dermal collagen and elastic tissue as seen in the two groups was indistinguishable. One example of type 4 EDS contained a dermis composed of fibers that resembled actinically damaged elastic tissue. The single example of type 6 EDS contained particularly thin collagen fibers. The dermal thickness of specimens of EDS was similar to that of controls, although the abnormal-appearing specimen of type 4 EDS was also abnormally thin. Since the other two biopsy specimens of type 4 appeared to be within the range of normal, there may be heterogeneity in this form of EDS.

Biopsy↗

Ultrastructure of elastosis in scirrhous carcinoma of the breast.

The stroma of scirrhous breast carcinoma frequently contains an abundance of material with the histologic staining properties of elastic tissue referred to as elastosis. In the present study, this lesion was found to correspond at the ultrastructural level to elastic fibers of various sizes and random orientation. These fibers displayed the two characteristic components, consisting of an amorphous core with a peripheral mantle of microfibrils. Interspersed among the elastic fibers were modified fibroblasts. These cells exhibited an irregular contour with numerous cytoplasmic processes and indentations. Their cytoplasm contained abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum, prominent Golgi complexes, and bundles of filaments. In the extracellular space, elastic fibers were often closely apposed to the plasma membrane of the fibroblasts. Carcinoma cells were also observed in the elastic tissue. It is postulated that fibroblasts, probably under an inductive influence from cancer cells, are the cells responsible for elastic production.

Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous↗

[Elastolysis of the mid-dermis and annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma: different stages in the clinical spectrum of dermal elastolysis? Case report and review of the literature].

In recent years there has been increased interest in diseases showing degeneration of dermal elastic tissue. Mid dermal elastolysis is a rare dermatosis, which is histopathologically characterized by mid dermal loss of elastic tissue. Both papular and patchy forms, as well as inflammatory and non-inflammatory variants, have been described. A 70-year-old woman had annular patches. In their center the clinical and histopathological findings suggested non-inflammatory mid dermal elastolysis whereas the red and slightly elevated margins showed clinical and histopathological features of annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma. Based on our case and a review of the literature, we discuss the differential diagnosis of dermal elastolysis and hypothesize that a number of lesions histologically showing mid dermal elastolysis may represent different inflammatory or non-inflammatory stages of one disease which may overlap or change from one form into another.

Aged↗