Ageing of Elastic Tissue 



97 



Age calcification of medial elastic tissue 



The question has repeatedly arisen whether the breakdown 

 and calcification of medial elastic tissue is a sequel to athero- 

 matosis or whether this is an age dependent phenomenon. In 

 an attempt to resolve this question atheroma-free segments 

 of the upper abdominal portions of human aortas were 

 collected and both adventitia and intima were separated by 

 stripping. To guard against chemical contamination of the 



7- 



MEDIAL ELASTIN FROM 



PLAQUE-FREE AREAS 



OF HUMAN AORTAS 



AGE 



Fig. 3. Analyses of the calcium content of elastin from human 



aortas using grossly normal specimens. In plaque-free areas 



there is a progressive increase with age in tlie calcium content of 



the elastin. 



selected areas by adjacent and overlying atheromata or 

 necrotic and calcified plaques we selected for analysis 14 

 aortas which possessed an over-all minimum of atheroma- 

 tosis. Little difficulty was experienced in collecting atheroma- 

 free tissue in the young group while considerable selection 

 was required in the older specimens. 



The separated tissues collected in this age series were 

 analysed for calcium content by the method of Salomon, 

 Gabrio and Smith, and for cholesterol content by the method 

 of Kingsley and Schaffert. The data as summarized in Fig. 3 

 show that there is no significant age change in the amount of 



