Light micrograph of section of skin

Light micrograph showing a section of skin. The tissue has been stained with a special stain that highlights the elastic fibres in purple and the collagen fibres in yellow to green. An elastic fibre is a protein strand found in connective tissue, which has contractile properties and helps to give skin its elasticity, this deteriorates as the skin ages. Collagen fibres are the main constituent of connective tissue forming a strong network and are present in skin, cartilage and bone.