Staining Reactions of Elastic Fibres with Special Reference to ‘Elastotic Degenerations’ in the Human Skin

Possible Significance of Abnormal Dermal Collagen and of Epidermal Regeneration in the Pathogenesis of Skin Cancers

“…3. By the seventeenth post-operative day most of the graft has been shed in flakes by a complex process previously described (Gillman et al, 1953). However, the epithelial activity, in and around the homo-dermal graft recipient area, is still maintained and has even increased to the proportions and in the manner depicted in Fig.…”

“…The main differences between " normal " collagen or elastic fibres and what we have called " elastotically degenerated collagen " have been detailed fully in other studies (Gillman et al, 1954). In summary these differences are:…”

“…In a previous study (Gillman, et al, 1953) we provided details of the experimental procedures adopted in a series of grafting experiments in human volunteers. Briefly stated, thin split skin (Thiersch) grafts were removed from the anteromedial aspect of the forearm and various types of grafts were replaced on the healing donor sites.…”

“…We have described in detail elswhere (Gillman et al, 1953(Gillman et al, , 1955) the normal healing of untreated Thiersch-graft donor sites in healthy volunteers. It may be stated briefly here that during the first four to six post-operative days the epidermis regenerates and quickly covers the donor site.…”

“…We were not in a position to prove this possibility conclusively. However, it has become apparent from our more recent studies that at certain stages of the repair of some types of wounds " pseudo-pegs " of epithelium were constantly found to invade the underlying connective tissue, and that this was a normal feature of the uncomplicated healing of wounds (Gillman et al, 1953(Gillman et al, , 1955. Normally, however, these invasive spurs of epidermis, which in animals may closely simulate regenerating hair follicles, are eliminated, for the most part, apparently by virtue of the activity of regenerating connective tissue.…”