Fig. 3. Immunohistochemical studies indicate that the papillary dermis (Pap) contains high levels of the proteoglycan decorin (A). The reticular dermis (Retic) contains elastic fibers oriented parallel to the epidermis that contain the proteoglycan versican. Microfibrils containing versican are also present in the papillary dermis as is diffuse versican at the DEJ (panel B). The epidermis (E) does not contain detectable levels of these two proteoglycans. The dashed line indicates the approximate demarcation between the papillary and reticular layers (adapted from Sorrell et al., 1999a, with kind permission from Kluwer Academic Publishers). Bar, 87 µm.