Immunohistochmistry Study of Collagen IV Changes in Glomerular Basement Memebrane During Fetal and Postnatal Periods of Balb/c Mice

Purpose: In this investigation specific antibody type IV collagen has been used in light microscopy to study development of BMG of the embryonic and postnatal mouse glomerular mesangium. Materials and Methods:20 female Balb/C mice were selected randomly and were kept under normal condition, finding vaginal plug was assumed as day zero of pregnancy. 12 pregnant mice were scarified by cervical dislocation in one of gestational days 13-18 and their fetuses were fixed, serially sectioned and immunohistochemistry study for tracing of collagen type IV in BMG was carried out. The same processes were used for kidneys preparation on 5, 10,15 and 20 postnatal days newborns of 2 mothers for each day. Results: This study indicated that Collagen IV showed weak reaction on day 15 of gestation. The amount of collagen increased continuously until next days of fetal life and primary of 10 days postnatal in BMG. After this period, collagen IV reaction was not showed significant change in newborns. Conclusion: These data indicate that collagen IV appear just during the glomerular vasculogenesis and because of continuity with vasculature which is required for glomerular endothelial cell differentiation, type IV collagen, is the major structural protein in BMG implicated in these processes.