Elastomeric polypeptides.

Elastomeric polypeptides are very interesting biopolymers and are characterized by rubber-like elasticity, large extensibility before rupture, reversible deformation without loss of energy, and high resilience upon stretching. Their useful properties have motivated their use in a wide variety of materials and biological applications. This chapter focuses on elastin and resilin - two elastomeric biopolymers - and the recombinant polypeptides derived from them (elastin-like polypeptides and resilin-like polypeptides). This chapter also discusses the applications of these recombinant polypeptides in the fields of purification, drug delivery, and tissue engineering.