[Pathohistology of costal cartilage and immunomorphologic characteristics of collagen in funnel chest].

Biopsy samples from the costal cartilage tissue were studied for 68 children with funnel deformity and from 20 children with normally formed chest. The authors present general morphologic features characteristic of the costal cartilage structure in norm and in case of funnel chest. These features include vast acellular sites, map-like areas, unmasked chondrin fibers and "marrow" cavities. In funnel chest they develop, however, 6-7 years earlier, than normally, and are consequent stages of the accelerated costal cartilage involution. Costal cartilage matrix was found to have an increased content of fibronectin and V collagen type in case of funnel chest. Besides III and IV procollagen types were noted in the chondrocytes. The accelerated growth of costal cartilages is involved in the formation of funnel chest.