title: Isolation and characterization of Caenorhabditis elegans extracellular matrix.
abstract: The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important structural and functional role in multicellular organisms. Because of the similarities between C. elegans and vertebrate development, this nematode could serve as a simplified model to study the biology of the ECM. In this study, a method for extracting mammalian ECM was adapted for the extraction of C. elegans ECM. ECM components from C. elegans were found to be homologous to mammalian ECM by immunoblotting. It was also demonstrated that antibodies generated against C. elegans ECM stained basement membrane-like structures in C. elegans eggs, larvae, and adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal 61790-4120, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Cheung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D008970:Molecular Weight
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins