Intimate structural association of amyloid and elastic fibers in systemic and cutaneous amyloidoses.

Elastic fibers were found in the amyloid islands of primary systemic amyloidosis, heredo-familial amyloid polyneuropathy, macular amyloidosis and amyloidosis cutis nodularis atrophicans. In macular amyloidosis, the elaunin fibers in amyloid islands were loosely arranged, waved and twisted. In systemic amyloidosis and amyloidosis cutis nodularis atrophicans, amyloid fibers did not deposit in homogeneous electron-lucent material of elastic fiber, but were located close to the elastic fiber where the peripheral microfibrils were present.