Comparative analyses of aortic type IV collagen in various species

Aortic type IV collagen from several species contained identical patterns of high-molecular-weight aggregates as determined by HPLC. Slab gel electrophoresis in one and two dimensions revealed a similar chain composition in these collagen samples. The basic structural components were similar in size to the long form of 7-S collagen. These studies suggest that a common supramolecular assembly of type IV chains exist within aortic basement membrane matrices.