Basement Membrane - Wikipedia

Thin fibrous layer between the cells and the adjacent connective tissue in animals

Basement membrane
The epithelium and basement membrane in relation to epithelium and endothelium. Also seen are other extracellular matrix components
Image showing the basement membrane of the oral mucosa, the type of epithelial tissue that lines the mouth, overlying a thin layer of connective tissue known as the lamina propria in mucous membranes
Details
Identifiers
Latin	membrana basalis
MeSH	D001485
TH	H2.00.00.0.00005
FMA	63872
Anatomical terms of microanatomy[edit on Wikidata]

Not to be confused with Basilar membrane.

The basement membrane, also known as the basal lamina, is a specialized form of extracellular matrix (ECM) common to all multicellular animals.[1][2] It is a very thin, flexible, and strong sheet-like type of ECM that provides a supporting base for all types of epithelial tissue, separates it from another cell layer such as endothelium, and anchors it to the underlying connective tissue (stroma).[1][3]

A basement membrane also surrounds some individual cells, including muscle cells, fat cells, and Schwann cells, separating them from surrounding connective tissue.[1][4] Its composition can vary from tissue to tissue, and even in different regions of the same tissue.[1][4] The other type of ECM is the interstitial matrix.[5] The basement membrane may be described as having two layers or laminae, an external basal lamina, facing the epithelium, and an internal basal lamina that faces the connective tissue.[6] These two laminae are also known as the basal lamina and the reticular lamina.[7]

The basement membrane also acts as a platform for complex cell signaling, for polarization, migration, and differentiation.[2][6] It also regulates the exchange of materials between the epithelium and underlying tissues; binds growth factors from the connective tissue to the epithelium that control the development of epithelium.[3] Epithelial cells are pressed closely together having no blood vessels between them but their basement membrane mostly rests on a bed of loose connective tissue that is rich in blood vessels providing nutrients and removing waste.[3]

Structure

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The basement membrane was first described in skeletal muscle tissue in the 1800s. The beginnings of a molecular understanding only came about in the 1970s and 1980s.[2]

Epithelial cells are polarized. The surface of epithelial cells that face the lumen is the apical surface, and the surface facing the basement membrane is the basal surface.[3]

The basement membrane may be described as having two layers or laminae, an external basal lamina, facing the epithelium, and an internal basal lamina that faces the connective tissue.[6] These two laminae are also known as the basal lamina and the reticular lamina.[7] The cells in the internal basal membrane that are closest to the connective tissue show high rates of mitosis, needed to replace skin cell abrasions, and in the GI tract replacement of the cells exposed to digestive enzymes and gastric acid.[3] In the skin the basement membrane is part of a more complex basement membrane zone. In the mucous membrane linings such as the gastric mucosa the basement membrane overlies loose connective tissue known as the lamina propria.

The basement membrane is synthesized by cells on either side. One set of components are synthesized from the basal epithelial cells, and the other comes from the underlying connective tissue.[1] Together the basement membrane contains glycoproteins – laminins, type IV collagen, and nidogen, and proteoglycans – perlecan, heparan sulfate proteoglycan, and agrin that blend together.[2] Other components may include fibronectin and type XVIII collagen. The components can vary from tissue to tissue, and from regions in the same lamina.[1][3]

The underlying connective tissue attaches to the basal lamina with collagen VII anchoring fibrils and fibrillin microfibrils.[8]

Types

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The glomerular basement membrane of the kidney, is an unusually thick basement membrane. It serves as part of a molecular filter that prevents macromolecules from the blood from entering the urine.[1] It is faced by a cell layer on either side, the endothelium, and the podocytes, and has a thicker structure of three laminae. It is thicker by the fusion of the basal lamina from the endothelium of glomerular capillaries and the podocyte basal lamina.[9][10] These layers are known as the central lamina densa, and on each side, a lamina rara – a lamina rara interna facing the endothelium, and a lamina rara externa facing the podocytes.[10]

In the lung the basement membrane of the alveolus and that of the surrounding capillary are fused, allowing an easy exchange of gases.[4]

In the mucosae the basement membrane lies between one or more layers of epithelial cells that it supports, and the underlying attached loose connective tissue called the lamina propria.[11]

Basement membrane zone

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In the skin the basement membrane that separates, and connects the epidermis and the underlying dermis is part of a complex and specialized structure called the basement membrane zone (BMZ). [12] The BMZ has four distinct layers – the basal cell layer, the lamina lucida, the lamina densa, and the sublaminal densa, and has many functions.[13] Tiny microfilaments called tonofilaments cross the basal cell layer, and extend to the epidermal part of the hemidesmosome. Laminins and other adherence proteins are located in the lamina lucida. The lamina densa is mostly composed of a type IV collagen scaffold. Anchoring fibrils and microfilaments extend and blend with the elastic fibrillary system of the dermis.[12][14]

The components of the BMZ form a complex, functional network that extends from the basal epidermal keratinocytes and their hemidesmosomes, and include anchoring fibrils from the lamina densa, into the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the dermis. In the ECM the anchoring fibrils appear as cross-striated fibrous masses. There are also focal adhesion complexes on the outer cell membrane that bind the cytoskeleton to cell-matrix adhesions.[13]

Function

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The primary function of the basement membrane is to anchor the epithelium to its underlying loose connective tissue (stroma) This is achieved by cell-matrix adhesions through cell adhesion molecules.

The basement membrane acts as a mechanical barrier, preventing malignant cells from invading the deeper tissues.[15] Early stages of malignancy that are thus limited to the epithelial layer by the basement membrane are called carcinoma in situ.

The basement membrane is also essential for angiogenesis (development of new blood vessels). Basement membrane proteins have been found to accelerate differentiation of endothelial cells.[16]

Other roles for the basement membrane include blood filtration and muscle homeostasis.[2] Fractones may be a type of basement membrane, serving as a niche for stem cells.[17][18]

Clinical significance

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Some diseases result from a poorly functioning basement membrane. The cause can be genetic defects, injuries by the body's own immune system, or other mechanisms.[19] Diseases involving basement membranes at multiple locations include:

• Genetic defects in the collagen fibers of the basement membrane, including Alport syndrome and Knobloch syndrome
• Autoimmune diseases targeting basement membranes. Non-collagenous domain basement membrane collagen type IV is autoantigen (target antigen) of autoantibodies in the autoimmune disease Goodpasture's syndrome.[20]
• A group of diseases stemming from improper function of the basement membrane zone are united under the name epidermolysis bullosa.[21]

In histopathology, thickened basement membranes are found in several inflammatory diseases, such as lichen sclerosus, systemic lupus erythematosus or dermatomyositis in the skin, or collagenous colitis in the colon.[22]

Evolutionary origin

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These are only found within diploblastic and homoscleromorphic sponge animals. The homoscleromorph were found to be sister to diploblasts in some studies, making the membrane originate once in the history of life. But more recent studies have disregarded diploblast-homoscleromorph group, so other sponges may have lost it (most probable) or the origin in the two groups may be separate.

References

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1. ^ a b c d e f g Alberts, Bruce (2015). Molecular biology of the cell (Sixth ed.). New York, NY: Garland Science, Taylor and Francis Group. pp. 1068–1071. ISBN 9780815344643.
2. ^ a b c d e Pozzi A, Yurchenco PD, Iozzo RV (January 2017). "The nature and biology of basement membranes". Matrix Biology. 57–58: 1–11. doi:10.1016/j.matbio.2016.12.009. PMC 5387862. PMID 28040522.
3. ^ a b c d e f Saladin, Kenneth S. (2011). Human anatomy (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 55–56. ISBN 9780071222075.
4. ^ a b c Morrissey, MA; Sherwood, DR (1 May 2015). "An active role for basement membrane assembly and modification in tissue sculpting". Journal of Cell Science. 128 (9): 1661–8. doi:10.1242/jcs.168021 (inactive 23 December 2025). PMC 4446735. PMID 25717004.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of December 2025 (link)
5. ^ Laurila, Pekka; Leivo, Ilmo (1 January 1993). "Basement membrane and interstitial matrix components form separate matrices in heterokaryons of PYS-2 cells and fibroblasts". Journal of Cell Science. 104 (1): 59–68. doi:10.1242/jcs.104.1.59. PMID 8450001.
6. ^ a b c Sekiguchi R, Yamada KM (2018). "Basement Membranes in Development and Disease". Current Topics in Developmental Biology. 130: 143–191. doi:10.1016/bs.ctdb.2018.02.005. ISBN 9780128098028. PMC 6701859. PMID 29853176.
7. ^ a b Tortora G, Derrickson B (2012). Principles of anatomy & physiology (13th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. pp. 117–118. ISBN 9780470646083.
8. ^ Paulsson M (1992). "Basement membrane proteins: structure, assembly, and cellular interactions". Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 27 (1–2): 93–127. doi:10.3109/10409239209082560. PMID 1309319. Archived from the original on 2007-10-13.
9. ^ "Sect. 7, Ch. 4: Basement Membrane". Renal Physiology Glomerular Filtration Rate and Renal Blood Flow. Medical College of Georgia, Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D. Library. 1 April 2008. Archived from the original on 1 April 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2018.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
10. ^ a b Farquhar MG (August 2006). "The glomerular basement membrane: not gone, just forgotten". J Clin Invest. 116 (8): 2090–3. doi:10.1172/JCI29488. PMC 1523392. PMID 16886057.
11. ^ Brizuela, Melina; Winters, Ryan (2025). "Histology, Oral Mucosa". StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. PMID 34283481. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
12. ^ a b Yang, Fei; Yang, Lingli; Kuroda, Yasutaka (September 2024). "Disorganisation of basement membrane zone architecture impairs melanocyte residence in vitiligo". The Journal of Pathology. 264 (1): 30–41. doi:10.1002/path.6321. PMID 38989633.
13. ^ a b Bruckner-Tuderman, Leena; Has, Cristina (January 2014). "Disorders of the cutaneous basement membrane zone—The paradigm of epidermolysis bullosa". Matrix Biology. 33: 29–34. doi:10.1016/j.matbio.2013.07.007. PMID 23917088.
14. ^ Suh, Jung Hee; Miner, Jeffrey H. (2013). "The glomerular basement membrane as a barrier to albumin". Nat Rev Nephrol. 9 (8): 470–477. doi:10.1038/nrneph.2013.109. PMC 3839671. PMID 23774818.
15. ^ Liotta LA, Tryggvason K, Garbisa S, Hart I, Foltz CM, Shafie S (March 1980). "Metastatic potential correlates with enzymatic degradation of basement membrane collagen". Nature. 284 (5751): 67–68. Bibcode:1980Natur.284...67L. doi:10.1038/284067a0. PMID 6243750. S2CID 4356057.
16. ^ Kubota Y, Kleinman HK, Martin GR, Lawley TJ (October 1988). "Role of laminin and basement membrane in the morphological differentiation of human endothelial cells into capillary-like structures". The Journal of Cell Biology. 107 (4): 1589–1598. doi:10.1083/jcb.107.4.1589. PMC 2115245. PMID 3049626.
17. ^ Mercier F, Kitasako JT, Hatton GI (September 2002). "Anatomy of the brain neurogenic zones revisited: fractones and the fibroblast/macrophage network". The Journal of Comparative Neurology. 451 (2): 170–188. doi:10.1002/cne.10342. PMID 12209835. S2CID 19919800.
18. ^ Sato Y, Kiyozumi D, Futaki S, Nakano I, Shimono C, Kaneko N, et al. (January 2019). Yamashita Y (ed.). "Ventricular-subventricular zone fractones are speckled basement membranes that function as a neural stem cell niche". Molecular Biology of the Cell. 30 (1): 56–68. doi:10.1091/mbc.E18-05-0286. PMC 6337917. PMID 30379609.
19. ^ Henig RM (February 22, 2009). "What's Wrong With Summer Stiers?". New York Times. Archived from the original on November 9, 2016.
20. ^ Janeway CA (2001). Immunobiology (5th ed.). Garland. ISBN 978-0-8153-3642-6.
21. ^ Bardhan A, Bruckner-Tuderman L, Chapple IL, Fine JD, Harper N, Has C, et al. (September 2020). "Epidermolysis bullosa". Nature Reviews. Disease Primers. 6 (1) 78. doi:10.1038/s41572-020-0210-0. PMID 32973163. S2CID 221861310.
22. ^ LeBoit PE (October 2000). "A thickened basement membrane is a clue to...lichen sclerosus!". The American Journal of Dermatopathology. 22 (5): 457–458. doi:10.1097/00000372-200010000-00014. PMID 11048985.

Further reading

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• Kefalides NA, Borel JP, eds. (2005). Basement membranes: cell and molecular biology. Gulf Professional Publishing. ISBN 978-0-12-153356-4.

v t e Skin and related structures
Skin	Epidermis Stratum corneum Stratum lucidum Stratum granulosum Stratum spinosum Malpighian layer Stratum basale Basement membrane Basal keratinocyte Lamina lucida Lamina densa Dermis Papillary Dermal papillae Reticular
Subcutaneous tissue	Panniculus/Pannus (Panniculus adiposus Panniculus carnosus) Membranous layer Loose connective tissue Superficial fascia
Adnexa	Skin glands Sweat glands: Apocrine sweat gland Eccrine sweat gland Sebaceous Hair Root sheath Outer root sheath Inner root sheath Henle's layer Huxley's layer Hair shaft Cuticle Cortex Medulla Bulb with matrix cells Hair follicle Muscle Arrector pili muscle Pilosebaceous unit Hair sebaceous gland Nail Nail matrix Nail plate Lunula Eponychium Paronychium Hyponychium

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