STUDY OF ELASTIC FIBER ORGANIZATION BY SCANNING FORCE MICROSCOPY

Elastic fibers of beef ligamentum nuchae were observed by atomic force microscopy and data compared with those obtained by conventional and freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Fresh isolated elastin fibers as well as thin sections of ligament fragments, which were fixed and embe dded either in relaxed or in stretched, conditions, were analysed. The results confirm that, at least in beef ligamentum nuchae, elastic fib ers consist of beaded filaments which can be oriented by stretching in the direction of the force applied. Moreover, atomic force microscopy revealed that these beaded filaments are laterally connected by perio dical bridges which become more pronounced upon stretching. The data c learly show that elastin molecules are organized in a rather ordered a rray, at least at the super-molecular level, and a depiction of the el astin organization in beef ligament um nuchae is attempted.