The Histomorphology of the Elastic Tissue System in the Skin of the Human Hand

Abstract

This study compares the effectiveness of the Verhoeff and Puchtler-Sweat resorcin fuschin methods of staining the elastic tissue of palmar and dorsal skin specimens of the human hand. The resorcin fuschin stain demonstrates the “oxytalan” fibres of the elastic tissue system in the dermal papillary layer of the palmar skin. Oxytalan fibres are not generally demonstrated by the Verhoeff method and are not demonstrated in the dorsal skin specimens. These studies substantiate the existence of a system of elastic tissue fibres in the skin of the hand. The inter-relationship of the elastic and collagenous fibres appears to complement each of their functions; namely, in anchoring the dermo-epidermal junction, absorbing the stresses of stretch and compressive forces and return the tissues to their original state of tension, and providing protection to the dermal appendages in addition to lending a gradient mobility transmitted through the dermis to the subcutaneous layer to give suppleness and mobility to the skin.