Immunological characterization of human glomerular basement membrane antigens.

Normal human glomerular basement membrane (H-GBM) was solubilized by collagenase and subjected to crossed immunoelectrophoresis with rabbit antibodies against H-GBM. Seven precipitates appeared with the mobility of alpha, beta, and gamma globulins. Only two of these precipitates might be specific for GBM, since the other precipitates disappeared after absorption of the antiserum with liver and placenta. In normal human urine one precipitate, cross-reacting with one of the H-GBM precipitates, was found; this precipitate could also be demonstrated in human placenta and liver.