1. Fibrillin and other matrix proteins in mitral valve prolapse syndrome
Joseph F Nasuti, MD, Paul J Zhang, MD, Michael D Feldman, MD, PhD, Terri Pasha, BS, Jasvir S Khurana, MD, Joseph H Gorman, MD, Robert C Gorman, MD, Jagat Narula, MD, PhD, Navneet Narula, MD 
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 
Volume 77, Issue 2, Pages (February 2004)
DOI: /S (03)

2. Fig 1
Immunohistochemical staining of a normal mitral valve leaflet. Note the fibrillary, laminar staining patterns for (A) collagen I and (B) collagen III are strongest in the atrialis and spongiosa of the valve leaflet. Immunostaining of (C) fibrillin and (D) elastin reveals similar fibrillary laminar pattern, which is essentially limited to the atrialis and spongiosa. (a = atrial surface; v = ventricular surface.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (03) )

3. Fig 2
Immunohistochemical staining of a diseased mitral valve leaflet from a rheumatic heart disease patient. There is an overall increase in staining intensity for (A) collagen I, (B) collagen III, and (D) elastin in all layers of the valve. However the zonal architecture of the valve is still maintained. (C) Fibrillin immunostaining is increased particularly in areas of fibrosis and is revealed in the figure. (a = atrial surface; v = ventricular surface.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (03) )

4. Fig 3
Immunohistochemical staining of mitral valve leaflet from a mitral valve prolapse syndrome patient with severe myxoid degeneration. Immunohistochemical staining for (A) collagen I, (B) collagen III, (C) fibrillin, and (D) elastin exhibit weak, diffuse, and disorganized staining patterns with lack of zonal restriction seen in normal and rheumatic valves. (a = atrial surface; v = ventricular surface.)
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , DOI: ( /S (03) )