Fig. 1. (A) A representative image of localized scleroderma specimen revealing thick and hyalinized collagen bundles (H&E, ×50). (B) A representative image of control skin without evidence of pathologic findings (H&E, ×50). (C) Excessive collagen bundle deposition in the same scleroderma specimen (Masson trichrome, ×50). (D) Moderate amount of collagen fibers in the same control (Masson trichrome, ×50). (E) Diffuse periostin positivity through the whole dermis in the same scleroderma specimen (anti-periostin antibodies, ×50). (F) Focal positivity of periostin mainly along dermo-epidermal junction in the same control (anti-periostin antibodies, ×50). (G) Moderate matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 positivity in the epidermis and dermis in the same scleroderma specimen (anti-MMP-1 antibodies, ×50). (H) Scanty MMP-1 positivity in the same control (anti-MMP-1 antibodies, ×50). (I) Scanty TGF-β expression in the scleroderma specimen (anti-TGF-β antibodies, ×50). (J) Scanty TGF-β expression in the control (anti-TGF-β antibodies, ×50). (K) Scanty procollagen expression in the scleroderma specimen (anti-procollagen 1 antibodies, ×50). (L) Scanty procollagen expression in the control (anti-procollagen 1 antibodies, ×50).