[Formation and destruction of the skin collagen structures in systemic scleroderma]

Histological, electron microscopic, and morphometric studies of skin biopsies from 70 patients with systemic sclerodermia showed an increase in biosynthetic processes both in the affected and nonaffected parts of the skin. Enhanced neofibrillogenesis was found only in areas of sclerodermic lesions. Abnormalities in newly formed collagen structures as well as splitting of newly formed collagen fibrillae into microfibrillae were observed. In unaffected skin areas two types of destruction of collagen fibrillae were observed: extracellular destruction and fibroplasia.