Fig. 5.

Model illustrating the functional effect of blood pressure reduction on large artery physiology in Eln^+/− mice. Lowering blood pressure in Eln^+/− mice results in a shift of the working pressure from the portion of the pressure-diameter curve depicted in grey (higher pressure, reduced slope, and reduced compliance) to the region underlying the black solid line (lower pressure, steeper slope, and increased compliance). Elastin controls the biomechanical properties of the vessel at lower pressures; but at higher pressures where the elastin is fully extended, collagen dominates. Eln^+/− mice have less elastin. Consequently, the transition from the elastin mediated “compliant” portion of the curve to the flatter collagen controlled part of the curve occurs as lower pressures in Eln^+/− relative to WT.