The Body's Scaffold: Investigating the Significance of the Extracellular Matrix in Health and Disease
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a three-dimensional, cross-linked network that is located outside of cells. It provides structural and biochemical support to surrounding cells. The ECM is present in all animal tissues and plays an important role in tissue regeneration, wound healing, and morphogenesis.
The Extracellular Matrix is composed primarily of water, glycoproteins, proteoglycans and structural proteins like collagen and elastin.
- Glycoproteins
Glycoproteins are proteins that contain oligosaccharide chains covalently attached to polypeptide side-chains. This gives them hydrophilic properties. Some important glycoproteins found in ECM include fibronectin, laminin, vitronectin and tenascin. Fibronectin and laminin play a major role in cell adhesion and migration.
The extracellular matrix forms the non-cellular component present throughout the body that performs a variety of structural and regulatory functions essential for tissue homeostasis. Aberrations in ECM deposition, degradation or mechanics underlie many pathological processes. Ongoing research continues expanding our insights into this complex network and its involvement in human health.
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