ELN is structural protein that may be related to arterial morphogenesis. Mice without ELN die of obstructive arterial disease [1651]. In humans, mutations in ELN have been associated with vascular disease [1655]. Large deletions resulting in hemizygosity of the elastin gene cause Williams-Beuren syndrome [1665], which has been suggested to resemble accelerated ageing [1422]. ELN also plays a role in skin ageing [3333]. Therefore, ELN has been associated with various ageing changes.