Résumé
Cell culture and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) methods were employed to analyse the role of human amniotic basement membrane (HABM) in supporting the growth of forebrain neurons and the components of HABM after enzymatic digestion. It was found that HABM treated with heparinase Ⅱ supported the growth of forebrain neurons 150% of that of the untreated HABM control. The results of SDS-PAGE analysis showed that HABM treated with heparinase Ⅱ had collagen-like polypeptides 2?_1 (260kD) and 2?_2 (225kD) reduced and lamininlike peptides (212kD and 200kD) increased; and that HABM treated with heparinase I or collagenase I had laminin reduced. This indicated that laminin is the major component in HABM to promote the growth of forebrain neurons.