The Elastic System Fibers

Abstract

Using the tannic acid-glutaraldehyde fixation it was possible to clearly visualize, with reproducible results, the elastic fiber amorphous material because of its density. The microfibrillar component was also evidenced with a good performance. With this technique the ultrastructural patterns of the oxytalan and elaunin fibers were also demonstrated. The oxytalan fibers appeared as a bundle of microfibrils similar to elastic microfibrils without amorphous material. The elaunin fibers presented a dispersed amorphous material intermingled among the microfibrils. It was suggested by ultrastructural evidences that oxytalan and elaunin fibers may represent interruption in successive phases in the development of the elastic fibers.