Elastic fibers in fetal dermis.

Dermal elastic tissue in fetal skin was evaluated by light microscopy using three different staining techniques. Postmortem skin was obtained from the abdominal wall of 45 fetuses ranging in age from 8 to 42 weeks. Elastic fibers were first detected in skin from fetuses of 22 weeks and, with increasing gestational age, appeared to increase in quantity and complexity. Skin from fetuses older than 32 weeks had a well-developed network of elastic fibers throughout the dermis. There was no diminution of dermal elastic tissue during the latter part of the sixth lunar month as had been reported in a previous study.