title: The distributions of type IV collagen alpha chains in basement membranes of human epidermis and skin appendages.
abstract: Distributions of type IV collagen alpha chains in the basement membrane (BM) of human skin and its appendages were analyzed by immunofluorescent microscopy using chain-specific monoclonal antibodies. The basement membrane beneath the epidermis contained [alpha1(IV)](2)alpha2(IV) and [alpha5(IV)](2)alpha6(IV) but no alpha3(IV)alpha4(IV)alpha5(IV); this held true for at the eccrine sweat glands and glandular ducts, sebaceous glands, hair follicles, and arrector muscles of hair. The secretary portion of the eccrine sweat glands was rich in [alpha1(IV)](2) alpha2(IV) and had less [alpha5(IV)](2)alpha6(IV), while [alpha5(IV)](2) alpha6(IV) was abundant in the ductal portion. In the subepidermal zone, alpha5(IV)/alpha6(IV) chain negative spots (1.9-15.0 microm) were frequently observed. Triple staining samples (Mel.2, alpha2(IV) and alpha5(IV) chains) showed that about 50% of epidermal melanocytes colocalized with such spots. Results suggest that these alpha5(IV)/alpha6(IV) chain negative spots of the subepidermal basement membrane have a particular relationship with melanocytes and are sites for certain interactions between the two.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Kazuyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Ryusuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Momota
authors.forename: Keiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Takehito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sado
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ninomiya
authors.forename: Aiji
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohtsuka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000032:analysis*; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000737:chemistry*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D008875:Middle Aged; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000032:analysis; D012627:Sebaceous Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D013545:Sweat Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D024141:Collagen Type IV; D020033:Protein Isoforms