Elastin Contributes to the Tensile Response of Medial Collateral Ligament

Elastin provides a restorative force after deformation, stretching and recoiling through both entropic and hydrophobic mechanisms.[1, 2] Selective degradation with elastase cleaves tropoelastin, creating a fragmented network with segments that vary in size and number of crosslinks.[3] Fragments may contribute to the tissue response, so degradation level may incrementally affect the mechanics of the tissue.