Ehlers-Danlos Hyperextensible Skin

A 20-year-old female college student presents with a lifelong history of easy bruising, joint hypermobility, and recurrent shoulder dislocations. Examination reveals that the skin over her forearm can be pulled away from the underlying tissue by 3 cm and RECOILS RAPIDLY back to its resting position, as shown by the structure marked **A** in the diagram. She has a Beighton score of 8/9, multiple atrophic scars over the knees and elbows, and a family history consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance. Genetic testing confirms a heterozygous COL5A1 mutation. Which of the following best describes the pathophysiological basis of the clinical finding marked **A**?