Figure 3.

Transmission electron microscopic analysis of skin from 15-week-old Col5a2^fl/fl and Ubc-Cre; Col5a2^fl/fl mice. Ubc-Cre; Col5a2^fl/fl mice (B) have large aggregates of collagen fibrils, known as collagen cauliflowers¹² (asterisks), with cross-sectional cauliflower-like profiles not seen in Col5a2^fl/fl controls (A). This alteration in fibril structure is highlighted in Ubc-Cre; Col5a2^fl/fl (D) and Col5a2^fl/fl (C) longitudinal sections. Mutant mice (red) also have decreased fibril density (E) and a corresponding distribution skewed toward larger fibril sizes (F) compared with controls (blue). Data are presented as means ± SEM (E). Scale bar = 200 nm (A–D).