This study was carried out to investigate the changes of elastic fibers in aged skin, from age 10 to 79 years old.
Biopsied normal skin was studied with light microscope and transmission electron microscope, using both conventional and tannic acid stain.
Normal mature skin revealed three types of elastic fibers, oxytalan, elaunin and mature elastic fibers. The oxytalan fibers were mostly composed of microfibrillar protein. The elastin protein was progressively accumulated in the microfibrillar
mantle
and forming mature elastic figers.
From age 30, abnormalities of elastic fibers were exhibited, loss of oxytalan fibers was the initial sign of aging process of elastic fibers. The mature elastic fibers showed pores and splitting of elasin matrix with fragmentation. Fine granular
materials were scattered near the elastin. Phagocytosis of degenerated elastin by tissue macrophages was noted.
From the above results, it is concluded that aging processes of elastic fibers begin at age 30 with a disappearance of oxytalan fiber that may be linked with the functional changes of fibroblasts, both production and degradation activity.
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