[Study of collagen abnormality in Marfan's syndrome].

Unique picrosirius-polarization method was used to detect the distribution of collagen fibers in aorta and skin of patients with Marfan's syndrome (MS). The adventitia of aortae of MS patients was noticed to be composing of a certain amount of thin type III collagen fibers, and the reticular layer of skin consisted of large amount of thin type III collagen fibers. The results indicated that the distribution of collagen type in Marfan's syndrome becomes abnormal. Hydroxyproline assay analysis showed no significant difference obtained on the total collagen content of aorta and skin between the MS patients and the controls. Anyhow, content of acid soluble collagen in the aortae of MS patients was learnt to be increased significantly (P < 0.01). CNBr-cleavage electrophoresis showed also change of fragment CB8 band in one case.