Fig. 7
Comparison of fiber force distributions in elastin networks reconstructed from skin samples of a 38-year-old (a) and a 78-year-old (b) subject. The visualizations display the mesh elements representing elastin fibers, color-mapped according to the computed fiber force values from beam elements, ranging from high compression (blue) to high tension (red). The younger network in (a) shows a more extensive and interconnected force distribution than the aged network in (b). Histogram comparing the distribution of axial forces for all fibers in the 38-year-old (blue) and 78-year-old (orange) samples is displayed in panel (c). The broader distribution for the 38-year-old sample, particularly in the compressive region (negative forces), provides a quantitative confirmation that the younger, more intact network engages more fibers in significant load-bearing compared to the aged, fragmented network.
