title: Identification of mineralized elastic fibers on wet samples by SEM.
abstract: A method is described that could be of potential use for the rapid ultrastructural identification of abnormal and fragmented elastic fibers in very small wet samples of dermal biopsies from patients affected by Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE). Moreover, the method, which consists of the use of sealed capsules transparent to electrons, allows the rapid and accurate localization and detection of mineralized areas in PXE patients and of their ion composition by X-ray microanalysis. This methodology could be of great help in any tissue disorder, especially in connective tissue disorders, characterized by structural alterations associated with ion precipitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boraldi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonelli
authors.forename: Dealba
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gheduzzi
authors.forename: Ivonne Pasquali
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Ronchetti
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Quaglino
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002114:Calcinosis; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004549:Elastin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions / Q000032:analysis; D011561:Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D004549:Elastin