title: The nature and biology of basement membranes.
abstract: Basement membranes are delicate, nanoscale and pliable sheets of extracellular matrices that often act as linings or partitions in organisms. Previously considered as passive scaffolds segregating polarized cells, such as epithelial or endothelial cells, from the underlying mesenchyme, basement membranes have now reached the center stage of biology. They play a multitude of roles from blood filtration to muscle homeostasis, from storing growth factors and cytokines to controlling angiogenesis and tumor growth, from maintaining skin integrity and neuromuscular structure to affecting adipogenesis and fibrosis. Here, we will address developmental, structural and biochemical aspects of basement membranes and discuss some of the pathogenetic mechanisms causing diseases linked to abnormal basement membranes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Veterans Affairs Hospitals, Nashville, TN, United States. Electronic address: ambra.pozzi@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Ambra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, United States.
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Yurchenco
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology and the Cancer Cell Biology and Signaling Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
authors.forename: Renato V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Iozzo
mesh_terms: D018171:Agrin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001848:Bone Diseases, Developmental / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018171:Agrin; D024141:Collagen Type IV; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D007797:Laminin; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C029967:nidogen
keywords: Collagen; Discoidin domain receptor; Heparan sulfate proteoglycan; Integrin; Laminin