The viscoelastic behavior of arterial elastin in aqueous solutions of
polar solutes has been studied to establish both its range of behavior
and the mechanisms by which the behavior is altered by the solutes. W
e were particularly interested in whether a solute interacted directly
with the elastin or whether it acted only indirectly to reduce the ac
tivity of water. The behavior of elastin in solutions of glucose, NaCl
, ammonium sulphate, and in low concentrations of ethylene glycol was
similar to that of elastin that had been directly dehydrated or indire
ctly dehydrated using osmotic agents such as dextran or polyethylene g
lycol. This similarity suggests that these solutes interact with elast
in only indirectly. Thiocyanate and high concentrations of dimethyl su
lfoxide and ethylene glycol appeared to interact directly with the ela
stin, altering both the swelling and the viscoelastic behavior of the
network.