This application requests partial funding in support of the 2008 Basement Membranes Gordon Research Conference, to be held June 22-27 at the University of New England in Biddeford, ME. This will be the fourteenth in a highly successful series of conferences that have been major international forums for dissemination of new ideas regarding the structure and function of basement membranes. Basement membranes are complex, three-dimensional, extracellular structures formed at epithelial-mesenchymal interfaces and around mesenchymal cells. They play crucial roles in the organization and function of most tissues and organs, including muscle, skin, blood vessels, brain, heart, lung, kidney, and peripheral nerves. Mutations in genes encoding basement membrane components result in severe inherited disorders in humans, e.g. epidermolysis bullosa of skin, congenital muscular dystrophies with associated neural defects, and Alport and Pierson syndromes of kidney. Acquired defects in basement membranes contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic microvascular disease and nephropathy and are involved in metastasis of cancer cells. Traditionally, this conference has attracted both senior and junior scientists from a wide range of fields, including protein and carbohydrate structure, gene expression, cell and developmental biology, pathology, and neurobiology. In addition, it has been attended by clinicians and scientists involved in research and/or treatment of human disorders involving basement membrane components. Basement membrane degradation and turnover are of interest to scientists investigating dynamic processes such as angiogenesis, cancer metastasis, embryo implantation, and mammary gland involution. There has also been substantial interest from the biotechnology industry regarding the roles of basement membranes in wound healing, angiogenesis, nerve regeneration, inflammation, and tissue repair. The 2008 Conference will present a diverse mixture of sessions on the basic science of basement membrane structure, biosynthesis, assembly, turnover, and functions. Comparative studies of basement membrane function in vertebrates and invertebrates and the roles of basement membranes and extracellular matrix and their receptors in embryonic development will be addressed. Studies on the genetic analyses of basement membrane functions and the generation of animal models of human basement membrane disorders will be presented. PROPOSAL NARRATIVE Basement membranes are complex, three-dimensional, extracellular structures that play crucial roles in the organization and function of most tissues and organs, including muscle, skin, blood vessels, brain, heart, lung, kidney, and nerves. Mutations in genes encoding basement membrane components in humans result in severe inherited disorders, e.g. epidermolysis bullosa of skin, congenital muscular dystrophies with neural defects, and Alport and Pierson syndromes of kidney. This conference will bring together a diverse group of outstanding researchers to share their latest findings in basement membrane biology and will lead to new excitement and collaborations that will move the field forward. ? ? ? ?
