Elasticity
Elasticity (medicine)
Elasticity (pronounced: e-las-ti-ci-ty) is a fundamental concept in medicine and biology, referring to the ability of a material or tissue to return to its original shape after being stretched or deformed.
Etymology
The term "elasticity" originates from the Greek word "elastos", meaning "ductile, flexible".
Definition
In the medical context, elasticity refers to the property of an object or material to resume its normal shape after being stretched or compressed. For example, skin, arteries, and lungs are all known for their elasticity.
Related Terms
- Elastin: A protein in connective tissue that is elastic and allows many tissues in the body to resume their shape after stretching or contracting.
- Elastography: A medical imaging modality that maps the elastic properties and stiffness of soft tissue.
- Elastic modulus: A measure of the stiffness of a material, defined as the stress along an axis over the strain along that axis in the range of stress in which Hooke's law holds.
- Elastic fiber: A type of fiber in connective tissue composed of elastin and responsible for providing long-term elasticity.
Clinical Significance
Elasticity is a crucial property of various tissues and organs in the body. For instance, the elasticity of the lung allows it to expand and contract during respiration, while the elasticity of blood vessels helps maintain blood pressure and circulation.
Changes in the elasticity of tissues can indicate various medical conditions. For example, loss of skin elasticity is a common sign of aging and certain diseases like Marfan syndrome. Similarly, changes in the elasticity of the arteries can be a sign of atherosclerosis or other cardiovascular diseases.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Elasticity
- Wikipedia's article - Elasticity
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