Intracellular localization of basement membrane antigen in parietal yolk sac cells.

Basement membrane antigen was localized in murine parietal yolk sac cells using the peroxidase-labeled antibody technic. In these cells the antigen can be localized in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and perinuclear space. In spite of the proven ability of the antibody to permeate all cell compartments, the antigen was never localized within elements of the Golgi complex. These findings suggest that the rough endoplasmic reticulum of the parietal yolk sac cells is responsible for the synthesis of the antigenic portion of the basement membrane molecule. At the present time there is no evidence implicating the Golgi complex in the synthesis or intracellular transport of the antigenic portion of basement membrane.