Representative images of transversal sections of abdominal skin fragments derived from WT 6 month-old mouse and age-matched counterparts with indicated selective or combined CathA/Scpep1 deficiencies.

<p>Sections are stained with the pentachrome Movat’s method that visualized back elastin, yellowish collagen and greenish proteoglycans. Mice, either with the single or double deficiencies of <i>CathA</i>^<i>S190A</i> <i>and Scpep1</i>^<i>-/-</i> have thicker skin that contains enlarged hyperplastic epidermal glands as well as more extracellular collagen Type I and elastin as compared with their WT counterparts (arrows) suggesting the dermal hypertrophy. Tissues of all tested knockout mice also demonstrate remarkable reduction of dermal fat (arrowheads). Scale bar equals 100 μm.