A COMPARATIVE HISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF ELASTIC, PRE-ELASTIC AND OXYTALAN CONNECTIVE TISSUE FIBERS

Abstract

Present evidence indicates that oxytalan fibers are a part of the elastic-like connective tissues. It is presumed that they may represent an immature or a specially modified elastic fiber. The peracetic acid-aldehyde fuchsin-Halmi and the peracetic acid-orcein-Halmi stains demonstrate pre-elastic as well as oxytalan fibers. On the basis of present histochemical methods, pre-elastic fibers cannot be differentiated from oxytalan fibers. It is proposed that the term oxytalan fibers be used to designate elastic-like fibers in certain structures that in the adult state never develop into characteristic elastic fibers, and the term pre-elastic fibers to either developing elastic tissue in structures in which it can be expected to undergo maturation into characteristic elastic fibers, or to extensions of recognizable elastic fibers.