Studies of laminin in the liver and sera of schistosomal hepatic fibrosis

The distribution of the high molecular weight glycoprotein, laminin in the liver and estimation of serum laminin in 32 patients infected with Schistosoma mansoni have been studied by indirect immunofluorescence using type specific antibodies and by radioimmunoassay. Serum laminin levels in our assays were significantly correlated with histological scores of fibrosis. Increases in laminin concentrations were positively correlated with the extent of fibrotic transition of the liver