Collagen type IV networks Collagen type VII fibril Collagen type I fibril Anchoring fibril complex Laminin-5 Collagen type VII binds laminin-322 and collagen IV Anchoring fibrils are structures in skin that consist largely of collagen VII. They extend from the epidermal basement membrane to the dermal stroma where they connect with reticular fibre bundles, largely composed of collagen III (Fleischmajer et al. 1980). The long loop region of collagen VII entraps fibrillar collagens in the papillary dermis (Burgeson 1993). Type VII collagen binds laminin-332 (laminin-5) through the beta3 short arm, and also binds both type IV collagen and interstitial banded collagen fibrils - represented here by their major constituent, collagen I (Nakishima et al. 2005, Brittingham et al. 2006, Villone et al. 2008). Mutations of collagen VII are a cause of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a blistering skin disease where separation occurs in the dermis at the level of anchoring fibrils (Chung & Uitto 2010, Uitto et al. 2010). Authored: Jupe, S, 2012-04-30 Edited: Jupe, S, 2012-11-12 Pubmed16272566 Pubmed16563355 Pubmed18599485 Pubmed19945621 Pubmed20393479 Pubmed7410886 Pubmed8370960 Reactome Database ID Release 432396234 Reactome, http://www.reactome.org ReactomeREACT_150470 Reviewed: Kalamajski, Sebastian, 2012-10-08 Reviewed: Raleigh, Stewart, 2012-10-08 Reviewed: Ricard-Blum, Sylvie, 2012-11-19