Abnormal cutaneous elastic fiber morphology

What it means

Any structural anomaly of the elastic fibers of the skin. Elastic fibers are the essential extracellular matrix macromolecules comprising an elastin core surrounded by a mantle of fibrillin-rich microfibrils.

Elastic fibers help the skin return to its normal configuration after being stretched or deformed. The elastic fibers consist of two components: microfibrils and matrix elastin. The microfibrillar component amounts to only 15% of the elastic fiber, whereas the amorphous, electron-lucid elastin makes up 85% of the fiber. In light microscope sections that are routinely stained, elastic fibers are inconspicuous. With special elastic tissue stains, such as orcein or resorcin-fuchisin, or in plastic-embedded sections they are found entwined among the collagen bundles [PMID:21738362].

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Abnormal cutaneous elastic fibre morphology