title: Evidence for collagen molecular orientation in basement membranes.
abstract: The following basement membranes (BMs) from representative species of the main vertebrate classes were studied by the Picrosirius-polarization method: lens capsule, Reichert's membrane and glomerular BMs. A distinct birefringence was consistently observed in all BMs from all species studied by this method. The results reported provide a strong evidence for collagen macromolecular orientation in BMs. Heparitin sulphate was the only glycosaminoglycan detected in dogs lens capsules.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001001:Anura / Q000378:metabolism; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000378:metabolism; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011817:Rabbits; D012911:Snakes / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D013552:Swine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen