Extracellular matrix Flashcards
How much of our body is cell?
50%
What are examples of specialised ECM (extracellular matrix)?
bone (calcified)
hair (fibrous & loose)
tendons (tensile strength)
cornea (transparent)
skin (elastin)
What does the extracellular matrix regulate?
- Migration (cell migration)
- Tissue integrity & cell shape
- Proliferation (cell growth)
- Differentiation
What does the collagen fibre provide?
Provides strength
What does the elastic fibre provide?
Provides pliability
What are 2 examples of fibrous proteins?
- collagens
- elastin
What are 2 examples of adhesion proteins?
- fibronectin
- laminin
What is one of the most abundant proteins in the body?
Collagen
How many variants of collagen are there?
20-40 variants - different functions but highly conserved
Describe the structure of collagen
- Triple Helix
- 3 alpha chains
- produced by fibroblasts & epithelial cells
What are 3 examples of collagen defects?
- Ehlers-danios syndrome
- Vascular form
- Arterial rupture
What % of the dry weight of aorta is elastin?
Elastin
What is tropoelastin converted to, in the presence of lysyl oxidase?
elastin
Where can fibrilin (elastin laid over microfibril scaffold of fibrillin) be found?
Bones & eyes
Is a glycosaminogylcan (GAG) charged?
Highly charged