REVIEW article
Front. Cardiovasc. Med.
Sec. Atherosclerosis and Vascular Medicine
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2025.1636812
This article is part of the Research TopicCardiovascular calcification: disease mechanisms, clinical phenotypes and therapeutic strategiesView all 6 articles
Calcification of the elastic component: the impact on the cardiovascular system
Provisionally accepted
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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In the cardiovascular system, elastic fibres exert a fundamental role providing the long-range elasticity required for physiological functions. Elastic fibres are complex in composition and structure containing, in addition to elastin, a wide range of matrix components, such as microfibrillar proteins, calcium-binding proteins and glycosaminoglycans. Changes in composition and/or structure can affect the biomechanics of the tissue as well as the intrinsic affinity of elastin for Ca 2+ ions. Mineralization of elastic fibres can occur in genetic as well as in age-related chronic diseases. In cardiovascular diseases, for instance, calcification represents an integral part of the pathogenetic process, although the regulatory mechanisms are not completely understood. Therefore, a focus is proposed on elastin synthesis and assembly, on elastic fibre components and on elastin degradation. Moreover, the role and the impact of altered composition and supramolecular organization of elastic fibres are described in the context of the calcified cardiovascular system. Finally, some in vitro and in vivo models of elastic fibres calcification are presented and discussed.
Keywords: Elastic fibre, mineralization, Elastocalcinosis, Cardiovascular System, Extracellular Matrix, calcification models
Received: 28 May 2025; Accepted: 08 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Lofaro, Mazzilli, Bonacorsi, Quaglino and Boraldi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Daniela Quaglino, Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, 41125, Italy
Federica Boraldi, Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, 41125, Italy
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