Figure 1. BMs are detected in tissue sections of human skin by immunostaining with antibodies to BM-specific proteins, such as collagen IV (A) (red), or by TEM (B). The epidermal BM (BM) of the skin is located between the epidermis (Ep) and the underlying dermal stroma (St). The vascular BMs are detected along the endothelial lining of blood vessels (BV). When the skin is experimentally split into the epidermal (C) and the dermal layers (D), the epidermal BM consistently stays with the dermal connective tissue, as shown by anti-collagen IV staining (C and D). It is inseparable from the dermal connective tissue, making a clean preparation of this BM impossible (D). The sections were counter-stained with SytoxGreen. Bars: (A, C and D), 100 µm; (B) 500 nm.