ECM Flashcards
What are the basic things needed to build an animal body?
Cells need to stick together, communicate, and need stuff between them to provide structure and shape
What is the defining feature of the animal body
The ECM
What are the broad functions of the ECM
Structure
Signaling
What tissue is the least/middle/most stiff
Blood –> stromal –> bone
What determines the biomechanical properties of tissues
ECM composition
How is the ECM related ti growth factors
Stores them until they’re needed
Can activate or destroy them
Who produces the ECM
Proteoglycans and GAGs
Fibrous proteins
Glycoproteins
Proteoglycan and GAG examples
Hyaluronan
Aggrecan
perlecan
Decorin
Fibrous protein examples
Type IV collagen
Fibrillar collagen
Glycoprotein examples
Laminin
Nidogen
Fibronectin
What do collagens contribute
Confer tensile strength
How is fibrillar collagen organized
Long, ropelike fibers. Shocker
What type of collagen is network forming?
IV
How does collagen contribute to wound healing
Fibrillar collagen forms most of CT during tissue repair
What is excessive collagen deposition called
Fibrosis
Composition of elastic fibers
Elastin molecules covered by a sheth of glycoprotein microfibrils
Elastin has alternating hydrophobic and alpha helical segments
What makes elastin elastic
The hydrophobic regions
What forms the hydrated gel (ground substance)?
Glycosaminoglycan polysaccharide chains
Broad job of proteoglycans and GAGs
Hydrated gel
Broad job of fibrous proteins
Strength (collagen and elastin)
Broad job of glycoproteins
Organize matrix, binding domain
What is the most abundant protein in mammals
Collagen
What is the importance of glycine
In collagen (every 3rd residue) allows the helix to connect
What allows the collagen chains to cross-link
Hydroxylation of of lysine and proline
Post-translational modification
What type of collagen is fibrillar
I (skin, bone) and II (cartilage)
What type of collagen is network
IV (basement membrane)
How is elastin renewed after birth
It isn’t. You get what you get. Half life = 70 years. Enjoy your skin
What charge do GAG molecules have & why is it important
Negative - they stay away from each other and are attracted to water
