The extracellular matrix in human myocardium: Part I: Collagens I, III, IV, and VI.

The composition of the extracellular matrix in normal human myocardium obtained at open-heart surgery was investigated using monoclonal antibodies against the collagens I, III, IV, and VI, and fluorescence microscopy. The aim of the study was to provide information on normal myocardium that could be used in the evaluation of pathological changes. Porcine myocardium was used for comparison, and both tissues showed a perfect agreement of the results, apart from collagen IV. This was negative in pig myocardium, due to the species specificity of the antibody. Collagens I and III were localized in the extracellular space as either coarse or fine fibrillar structures; the cellular elements of the interstitium, except for the endothelial cells, were also stained. Labeling for collagen VI was much finer than for the other collagens, and was present throughout the interstitium. Collagen IV stained the basement membranes of myocytes and capillary endothelial cells, and also labeled the T-tubular system in the myocytes. The second part of this communication will describe the localization of fibronectin, laminin and vimentin in normal human myocardium.