basement membrane

anatomy
Also known as: basal lamina

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Assorted References

  • gastrointestinal tract immunity
    • human digestive system
      In human digestive system: The gastrointestinal tract as an organ of immunity

      …plasma cells that populate the basement membrane (lamina propria) of the small intestine, the area of loose connective tissue above the supporting tissue of the mucosal lining extending into the villi. The third sector comprises lymphocytes that lie between the epithelial cells in the mucosa. The interaction between these cells…

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function in

    • cardiovascular system
    • human excretory system
      • human kidneys
        In renal system: Glomerular filtration

        …with the second layer, a basement membrane. The basement membrane of the capillaries, similar to that which occurs in the lining of many other structures and organs, is a continuous layer of hydrated collagen and glycopeptides. Although once thought to be homogeneous, it appears to consist of three layers that…

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    • integumentary system
      • animal cell
        In cell: The extracellular matrix

        …as the basal lamina or basement membrane. This thin layer serves as a boundary with connective tissue and as a substrate to which epithelial cells are attached.

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      • types of fish scales
        In integument: Skin structure

        This rests on a basement membrane closely anchored to the surface of the dermis. Newly formed cells move outward, and at first form part of the prickle cell layer (stratum spinosum), in which they are knit together by plaquelike structures called desmosomes. Next they move through a granular layer…

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    • muscle system
      • striated muscle; human biceps muscle
        In muscle: The neuromuscular junction

        …the muscle and contains the basement membrane (basal lamina). In the subneural region the muscle membrane is deeply folded, forming secondary synaptic clefts into which the basement membrane penetrates.

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    • nervous system
      • neuron; conduction of the action potential
        In nervous system: Axon

        …contains a structure called the basal lamina, which holds an enzyme that destroys neurotransmitters and thus regulates the amount that reaches the postsynaptic receptors on the receiving cell. Most knowledge of postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptors comes from studies of the receptor on muscle cells. This receptor, called the end plate, is…

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    role in

      • tumour progression
        • precancerous growth in a human colon
          In cancer: Invasion and dissemination

          …nearby tissues by breaching the basement membrane. The basement membrane, or basal lamina, is a sheet of proteins and other substances to which epithelial cells adhere and that forms a barrier between tissues. Once tumours are able to break through this membrane, cancerous cells not only invade surrounding tissue substances…

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