Quantitative analysis of type IV collagen alpha chains in the basement membrane of human urogenital epithelium.

Type IV collagen is a major component of the basement membrane (BM), which consists of six genetically distinct alpha(IV) chains. In this study the expression of these six alpha(IV) chains was demonstrated immunohistochemically. In addition, the alpha2(IV) and alpha5(IV) chains were analysed quantitatively by confocal laser scanning microscopy in human urogenital epithelial BM.