Our recent morphological studies showed that basement membranes isolated from renal tubules tended to collapse and form folded sheets while glomerular basement membranes were more resilient. In an effort to study the shapes of various isolated basement membranes in undissociated tissues, a method was developed to remove all cellular elements and leave the extracellular matrix and associated basement membranes intact. Accordingly, transplant quality human kidneys were harvested, perfused with Collin's medium and transported to the laboratory on ice. The renal cortex was then peeled away by blunt dissection, further minced to 2 mm3 and placed in 1 mM EDTA (with gentle intermittent stirring) for 72 h at 4 degrees C. Solubilization of cellular materials was carried out by successive washings with 3% Triton X-100, 0.025% DNAse and 1-4% sodium deoxycholate (all with gentle stirring or shaking at 22 degrees C). Each solution contained 0.1% sodium azide. At the level of fine structure, glomerular, tubular, Bowman's capsular and peritubular capillary basement membranes all maintained their respective shapes and did not collapse. Glomerular basement membrane was particularly striking in this regard and exhibited an open, lobulated form that closely resembled its in vivo histoarchitecture. Moreover, when the acellular tissue blocks were prepared for scanning electron microscopic observation, the glomerular basement membranes exposed at the surface of the block showed a remarkable structural rigidity. These basement membranes were free-standing, convoluted electron-dense sheets, continuous with highly folded central mesangial regions. It seems significant that glomerular basement membranes maintain their in vivo conformation irrespective of the presence of other extracellular matrix components while removal of these materials by organ subfractionation results in folding and general shapelessness of tubular basement membrane. It is possible that in addition to its unique role in filtration, glomerular basement membrane may also serve to preserve glomerular shape, regardless of changing cell populations or alterations in hydrostatic pressures.