# STRUCTURAL COMPOSITION/ORGANIZATION OF BASEMENT MEMBRANE

> **NIH NIH R01** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 1990 · $218,136

## Abstract

The research aims at an understanding of the organization of basement
membranes and the function of individual macromolecules or of assemblies
for cellular function.  It is proposed to study the self-assembly of and
the interactions between type IV collagen, laminin, entactin and
heparansulfate proteoglycans in vitro by physical and electronmicroscopical
methods.  Information provided by these in vitro assembly studies will be
correlated with images obtained by direct imaging of a variety of basement
membranes from several tissue sources - amnionic membranes, lens capsule,
Descemet's membrane and Reichert's membrane.  Imaging of tissues will be
done by metal shadow casting methods using electron beam evaporation or
Penning sputtering of carbon/platinum or with other metals under various
conditions.  In order to interpret such images, information provided by in
vitro assembly will be important.  In addition, we propose to analyze
polymers of basement membrane molecules synthesized, deposited and
assembled by cells in culture by direct imaging techniques or by using
antibody conjugates for identification of specific molecules.  It is
anticipated, that the information provided by these studies will allow to
describe a model for the organization of the rather complex macromolecules
within the basal lamina.  It will also allow to determine basic mechanisms
for the changes observed in the basal lamina in disease states such as
diabetes mellitus.  It furthermore will allow to address the question of
mechanisms by which cells residing on the basal lamina can maintain their
differentiated state or which lead to abnormal growth.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3155835
- **Project number:** 5R01AR030556-09
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HJD6G4D6TJY5
- **Principal Investigator:** HEINZ FURTHMAYR
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $218,136
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1989-04-01 → 1992-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3155835

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3155835, STRUCTURAL COMPOSITION/ORGANIZATION OF BASEMENT MEMBRANE (5R01AR030556-09). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3155835. Licensed CC0.

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