Elastic fiber facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elastic fiber |
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| Subcutaneous tissue from a young rabbit. Highly magnified. (Elastic fibers labeled at right. ) |
Elastic fibers are tiny, stretchy threads found throughout your body. Think of them like tiny rubber bands! They are made of special proteins, mainly one called elastin.
These amazing fibers can stretch up to 1.5 times their normal length. When they relax, they snap right back to their original size. This ability to stretch and recoil is super important for many parts of your body. Elastic fibers are a key part of what's called "connective tissue proper," which is like the body's internal glue, holding things together and giving support.
Where Are Elastic Fibers Found?
Elastic fibers are in many places where your body needs to stretch and then return to its shape.
- Skin: They help your skin stretch when you move and then bounce back, keeping it firm.
- Lungs: When you breathe in, your lungs expand. Elastic fibers help them stretch and then push the air out when you breathe out.
- Arteries and Veins: These are the blood vessels that carry blood around your body. Elastic fibers in their walls help them stretch with each heartbeat and then snap back, keeping blood flowing smoothly.
- Connective Tissue: They are a big part of the general connective tissue that supports and connects different organs and tissues.
- Elastic Cartilage: This is a flexible type of cartilage found in places like your ears and nose.
- Periodontal Ligament: This is a special tissue that holds your teeth in place, allowing for a little bit of movement.
- Fetal Tissue: Elastic fibers are important for the development of tissues in babies before they are born.
Images for kids
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Thick elastic fibers from the visceral pleura (the outer covering) of the human lung.
See also
In Spanish: Fibra elástica para niños
