Light and electron microscopy of classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

A 12-year-old boy with difficulty in wound healing and abnormal scars since early childhood was examined. Light microscopy showed loose and disperse dermal collagen with rare bundles, and fibroblasts show an irregular morphology. The fibrous sheath of hair presented a normal parallel distribution of the collagen fibers with normal spindle-shaped fibroblasts. Transmission electron microscopy also found disorganized collagen fibers, which were seen in a same field in longitudinal and cross sections. With high magnifications, an amorphous substance was seen near to loose collagen fibers, which showed variable diameters in cross sections. Scanning electron microscopy of the dermis showed disorganized collagen fibers and with higher magnification, important collagen disarrangement was observed with isolated and crossed-over fibers.