Figure 2

The basement membrane exploaded. This image expands – explodes the BM and demonstrates the importance of each of its components that are involved in the expansion and thickening of the BM in MetS, prediabetes, and T2DM. The BM is an integral part of the ECM and plays such an integrating role in the structural – functional changes associated with MetS, prediabetes, and T2DM. An integrin has been placed in this image to verify its important-integrating role in cell-cell, cell-matrix communication. This image demonstrates the existence of a shape and a form to the PAS+, hyaline staining, thickened BM in MetS, prediabetes, and T2DM.