A comparison of antibodies to type VII and type IV collagen laminin and amnion as epidermal basement membrane markers.

We have compared four monoclonal antibodies which label basement membrane components using an indirect immunoperoxidase method in frozen sections of skin biopsies. The antibodies LH 7.2 and GB3 showed expression limited to epidermal and adnexal basement membrane. Antibodies to laminin and type IV collagen also decorated dermal blood vessels and stromal components. The antibodies LH 7.2 and GB3 are more suitable for labelling epidermal basement membrane in the study of cutaneous lesions.