IMMUNODISSECTION OF THE CONNECTIVE-TISSUE MATRIX IN HUMAN SKIN

Much of what has been learned of the components and structure of human skin over the past few years has been accomplished with the aid of an tibody technology. Antibodies are used in techniques such as affinity chromatography to isolate individual molecules and by immunofluorescen ce and immunoelectron microscopy to identify each of those molecules a s components of specific macromolecular assemblies present within the dermis. This manuscript is meant not as a review of technique but inst ead as a summary of recent progress made in the understanding of derma l matrix architecture. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss. Inc.