Ultrastructural localisation of anionic sites at the dermo-epidermal junction in normal human skin.

Glycosaminoglycans have been demonstrated throughout the cutaneous BMZ at the ultrastructural level. Colloidal iron and cationised ferritin proved of limited value, whilst staining with Alcian blue and application of the critical electrolyte concentration principle has provided evidence for the presence of sulphated GAGs at the lamina lucida and lamina reticularis. Digestions with chondroitin ABC lyase and heparin lyase have confirmed the existence of chondroitin and/or dermatan sulphates and heparan sulphates, although the results obtained with hyaluronate lyase have indicated that hyaluronates are also present.