Appearance of laminin, heparan sulphate proteoglycan and collagen type IV during initial stages of vascularisation of the neuroepithelium of the mouse embryo.

The appearance of the basement membrane components laminin, heparan sulphate proteoglycan and Type IV collagen was investigated by indirect immunofluorescence during the onset of vascularisation of the neuroepithelium of mouse embryos (Days 10, 11 and 12 of development). All three basement membrane components could initially be seen in the embryonic CNS anlage along with the appearance of capillaries in the neuroepithelial cell layer. From this direct correlation between vascularisation and appearance of basement membrane components in the embryonic anlage one can assume that the basement membrane components laminin, heparan sulphate proteoglycan and collagen Type IV are involved in the initial vascularisation of the CNS anlage of 10 to 12 day old mouse embryos.