FT‐Raman spectroscopic study of thoracic aortic wall subjected to uniaxial stress

The combination of Fourier transform‐Raman spectroscopy and uniaxial tensile tests (in MTS Synergie 100 testing machine) was used to investigate microstructural changes in the secondary protein structure of the aortic wall under different levels of stress. The spectroscopic analysis clearly shows differing tension thresholds for material excised in two directions: circumferential and longitudinal. This is confirmed by the results of macroscopic mechanical analyses. The application of strain does not lead to any noticeable change in the bandwidths of the Raman bands. The stress‐controlled Raman band analysis shows that the modes at 938 cm⁻¹ assigned as C_α C of the α‐helix, 1660 cm⁻¹ amide I (the unordered structure of elastin) and 1668 cm⁻¹ amide I (the collagen triple helix) undergo wavenumber shifting, but the bands at 1004 cm⁻¹ assigned to the phenyl ring breathing mode and 2940 cm⁻¹ to the ν (CH₃) and ν (CH₂) modes are not affected during the elastic behaviour. A clear correlation between Raman band shifting and the level of mechanical stress has been established. Elastin alone participates in the transmission of low stresses in the circumferential direction, whereas both elastin and collagen take part in the transmission of physiological and higher stresses. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.