Elastin-Soluble is prepared from Elastin EPC No. E60 by the method of Partrige et al. (1). In the method, bovine neck ligament elastin is solubilized with hot oxalic acid solution, clarified, dialyzed and lyophilized.
The preparation is a salt-free water soluble powder that readily forms a coacervate at pH 5.0 and 37° C.
Elastin-Soluble may be used to determine elastolytic activity by the method of Keller and Mandl (6). In the method, elastolytic material is incubated at pH 8.8 with Elastin-Soluble. Released peptides are quantitatively determined with ninhydrin reagent. Small quantities of pure elastase (0.5-5 µgm) are specifically detected without interaction by non-elastolytic protein. The technique may be used to determine the elastolytic inhibitory activity of serum.