The lamina lucida is a component of the
basement membrane
The basement membrane is a thin, pliable sheet-like type of extracellular matrix that provides cell and tissue support and acts as a platform for complex signalling. The basement membrane sits between Epithelium, epithelial tissues including mesot ...
which is found between the epithelium and underlying connective tissue (e.g.,
epidermis
The epidermis is the outermost of the three layers that comprise the skin, the inner layers being the dermis and hypodermis. The epidermis layer provides a barrier to infection from environmental pathogens and regulates the amount of water rele ...
and dermis of the skin). It is a roughly 40 nanometre wide electron-lucent zone between the plasma membrane of the basal cells and the (electron-dense)
lamina densa
The lamina densa is a component of the basement membrane zone between the epidermis and dermis of the skin, and is an electron-dense zone between the lamina lucida and dermis, synthesized by the basal cells of the epidermis, and composed of (1) ...
of the basement membrane.
[James, William; Berger, Timothy; Elston, Dirk (2005). ''Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology'' (10th ed.). Saunders. Page 5. .]
Similarly, electron-lucent and electron-dense zones can be seen between enamel of teeth and the junctional epithelium. The electron-lucent zone is adjacent to the cells of the junctional epithelium and might be considered a continuation of the lamina lucida as both are seen to harbour
hemidesmosome
Hemidesmosomes are very small stud-like structures found in keratinocytes of the epidermis of skin that attach to the extracellular matrix. They are similar in form to desmosomes when visualized by electron microscopy, however, desmosomes attach t ...
s. However, unlike the lamina densa, the electron-dense zone adjacent to enamel show no signs of hemidesmosomes.
Some theorize that the lamina lucida is an artifact created when preparing the tissue, and that the lamina lucida is therefore equal to the lamina densa
in vivo
Studies that are ''in vivo'' (Latin for "within the living"; often not italicized in English) are those in which the effects of various biological entities are tested on whole, living organisms or cells, usually animals, including humans, and ...
.
See also
*
Basal lamina
The basal lamina is a layer of extracellular matrix secreted by the epithelial cells, on which the epithelium sits. It is often incorrectly referred to as the basement membrane, though it does constitute a portion of the basement membrane. The ba ...
*
List of target antigens in pemphigoid
Circulating auto-antibodies in the human body can target normal parts of the skin leading to disease. This is a list of antigens in the skin that may become targets of circulating auto-antibodies leading to the various types of pemphigoid.
O ...
References
Skin anatomy
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