Elaunin is a component of elastic fibers formed from a deposition of elastin

Elastin

Elastin is a protein in connective tissue that is elastic and allows many tissues in the body to resume their shape after stretching or contracting. Elastin helps skin to return to its original position when it is poked or pinched. Elastin is also an important load-bearing tissue in the bodies of...

 between oxytalan

Oxytalan

Oxytalan fibres are a component of the extracellular matrix. They were first described by Fullmer & Lillie in periodontal membranes. On light microscope examination, these fibres may be distinguished from mature elastic fibers by their failure to stain with aldehyde fuchsin solutions, unless they...

 fibers. It is found in the periodontal ligament

Periodontal ligament

The periodontal fiber or periodontal ligament, commonly abbreviated as the PDL, is a group of specialized connective tissue fibers that essentially attach a tooth to the alveolar bone within which it sits...

 and in the connective tissue

Connective tissue

"Connective tissue" is a fibrous tissue. It is one of the four traditional classes of tissues . Connective Tissue is found throughout the body.In fact the whole framework of the skeleton and the different specialized connective tissues from the crown of the head to the toes determine the form of...

 of the dermis

Dermis

The dermis is a layer of skin between the epidermis and subcutaneous tissues, and is composed of two layers, the papillary and reticular dermis...

, particularly in association with sweat gland

Sweat gland

Sweat glands, or sudoriferous glands, are small tubular structures of the skin that produce sweat. There are two kinds of sweat glands:...

s. The word elaunin is derived from the Greek

Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...

 verb ἐλαύνω "I steer".

Identification

Unlike Oxytalan fibres, elaunin fibres stain with orcein

Orcein

Orcein, also archil, orchil, lacmus, Citrus Red 2, and C.I. Natural Red 28, are names for dyes extracted from several species of lichen, commonly known as "orchella weeds", found in various parts of the world. A major source is the archil lichen, Roccella tinctoria. Orcinol is extracted from such...

, aldehyde fuchsin and resorcin fuchsin without prior oxidation.