目的 探讨大鼠心脏发育过程中弹性蛋白的形态分布特点和增龄变化规律。 方法 取孕18d、生后10d、生后1个月和生后3个月大鼠各10只，采用地衣红染色、免疫组织化学和Western blotting技术，观测心室弹性纤维的分布和弹性蛋白表达的变化；利用图像分析系统对弹性蛋白进行定量分析，并对不同月龄心室弹性蛋白含量进行对比分析。结果 弹性纤维广泛分布于心外膜、心肌细胞周围、小动脉壁。弹性纤维形似发丝，无粗大纤维束；胎鼠至初生期增长迅速，幼年到成年期增速减慢。心内膜的弹性纤维在幼年期达到高峰，成年略有降低。结论 从胚胎至成年大鼠心室弹性纤维逐渐增加，这种变化是心肌生理性重构的重要组成部分。

Objective To observe and measure the morphological features and age-related changes of elastic fibers in the rat heart. Methods Ten rats in each group were collected from embryonic day 18, postnatal day 10, postnatal one month and postnatal three months. The distribution of myocardial elastin fibers and expression of elastin protein of the rat heart were observed by the orcein staining, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting. The elastin protein of the four groups were quantitated by SPSS statistical software. Results The elastic fibers were extensively distributed in the epicardium, the periphery of cardiocyte and the small arterial wall. They were increasing with the growth. The morphology of the elastic fiber appeared hairs-like and no thick bundle was detected. The elastic fibers were growing quickly from the fetal to the new born stage, and slow down from the childhood to adult stage. The number of elastic fibers in the endocardium was peaked at the childhood stage, but reduced at the adult.Conclusion Elastic fibers in the left ventricle are gradually increased from the embryonic stage to adult stage. Such change may belong to the important ingredient of cardiac physiological reconstitution.