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Quantification of Mouse Lung Elastin During Prenatal Development
Paula Rodrigues1
Carlos Gonçalves, *
, 2
Ana Honório3
José Barros4
Vasco Bairos5
Authors Info & Affiliations
, 2
Ana Honório3
José Barros4
Vasco Bairos5
Authors Info & Affiliations
The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal
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15 May 2008 •
RESEARCH ARTICLE
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DOI: 10.2174/1874306400802010046
Abstract
Elastic fibres play a crucial function during the process of lung alveolisation. During the perinatal period, any changes in the elastogenic process during foetal development may result in permanent lifetime defects. In pre-natal life, well-developed pulmonary elastic fibres should favor the pre-natal maturation of the lung and an enhanced alveolisation, which in many species, such as humans begins only after birth. The authors present a quantitative study by image analysis and by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the mouse lungs’ elastic fibre content from the 15th till the 19th gestational day.
Keywords: Lung development, elastic fibres, elastin, desmosin..