The collagen of permanently damaged nerves in human leprosy.

The collagen of nerve biopsies from ten leprosy patients was studied by the Picrosirius-polarization method and electron microscopy. It was observed that leprosy promotes a marked increase in nerve collagen content. Despite the changes induced by this disease, the localization of collagen types I and III in the endo-, peri-, and epineurium remains the same as in normal nerves.