The effect of type 1 diabetes on the structure and function of fibrillin microfibrils

R. Akhtar, J. K. Cruickshank, N. J. Gardiner, B. Derby, M. J. Sherratt

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

    Abstract

    In both Type 1 and 2 diabetes tissue stiffening is evident from measurements of the gross mechanical properties of the vasculature. Whilst composite elastic fibres play an important role in mediating vascular elasticity in healthy individuals, the effects of diabetes on the structure and function of individual elastic fibre components remains poorly defined. Fibrillin microfibrils, which are key structural elements of the elastic fibre system, have a unique 'beads-on-a-string' morphology and a mean periodicity of approximately 56 nm. In this study, we have characterised the effects of experimentally induced Type I diabetes on the structure of microfibrils isolated from rat aorta. Microfibril length and periodicity were quantified from atomic force microscopy (AFM) images. Although mere was no significant difference in mean microfibril length between healthy and diabetic animals (control 23.2 repeats, SEM 6.2 repeats: diabetic 23.6 repeats, SEM 6.1 repeats: Mann Whitney U-test, p=0.391), mean periodicity was significantly reduced in microfibrils isolated from me diabetic rats (52.7 nm, SEM 0.4 nm) compared with age-matched controls (59.5 nm, SEM 0.4 nm) (p
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationMaterials Research Society Symposium Proceedings|Mater Res Soc Symp Proc
    PublisherMaterials Research Society
    Pages57-61
    Number of pages4
    Volume1274
    ISBN (Print)9781605112510
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2010
    Event2010 MRS Spring Meeting - San Francisco, CA
    Duration: 1 Jul 2010 → …
    http://www.mrs.org/s_mrs/sec_subscribe.asp?CID=25916&DID=307725

    Publication series

    NameBiological Materials and Structures in Physiologically Extreme Conditions and Disease MRS Proceedings Volume 1274

    Conference

    Conference2010 MRS Spring Meeting
    CitySan Francisco, CA
    Period1/07/10 → …
    Internet address

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