Distribution of sulfated glycosaminoglycans in the glomerular basement membrane and mesangial matrix.

The relative distribution of heparan sulfate-glycosaminoglycan (HS-GAG) and chondroitin sulfate-glycosaminoglycans (CS-GAG) of the mesangial matrix (MM) and the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), which represent the two glomerular extracellular matrices, was determined by a combination of enzymatic treatments and autoradiographic methods. The kidneys were digested in situ either with heparinase (degrades HS and CS-GAG) or chondroitinase-ABC (degrades CS-GAG). Subsequently, the sulfated GAGs were labeled with a radioiodinated analog of cationic ferritin (CF, pI approximately 7.5). The tissues were then processed for light and electron microscopic autoradiography. The autoradiographic analysis showed that sulfated GAGs are distributed both in the GBM and mesangial matrix. The predominant GAG present in both the matrices is HS-GAG and the CS-GAG is exclusively present in the mesangial matrix. These data indicate that the GBM and mesangial matrix are compositionally different. These differences may be of importance in the establishment of normal glomerular function and organization and in the alteration of that function and organization as a result of various disease processes, especially of those that are immune-complex mediated.