Immunohistochemical characterization of the basement membranes of the human oral mucosa.

Type IV and V collagens, laminin and heparan sulphate proteoglycan were localized in vascular and subepithelial basement membranes. Fibronectin was distributed in a reticular pattern throughout the lamina propria under the oral epithelium. The uniform distribution of basement membrane components and type V collagen in different regions suggests a similar molecular composition for the basement membranes under functionally-different oral epithelia. The more intense reaction in the vascular than in the subepithelial basement membranes, with diluted antibodies to type IV collagen and laminin apparently reflects chemical differences in these basement membranes. Occasional discontinuities in the subepithelial basement membranes were seen in inflamed gingival sulci and in tonsillar crypts. The destruction responsible affected all basement membrane components, except fibronectin, which maintained a reticular distribution even in the deep tonsillar tissue. The immunohistochemical method is useful in demonstrating different degrees of destruction in basement membranes associated with inflammation.