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AMM > Extracellular Matrix (ECM) > Flashcards

Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Flashcards

1
Q

What is the ECM?

A

ECM is a 3D network of proteins and molecules surrounding and supporting the cells and tissues.

Created by cells.

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2
Q

Is the ECM small and mat-like in the connective tissue or the epithelial tissue?

A

Epithelial tissue

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3
Q

What is the structure of the ECM in the tendon for high tensile strength?

A

rope-like

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4
Q

Two reasons why ECM is important?

A
  1. structural
  2. cell behaviour (cues given from ECM substrate to cells)
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5
Q

Which cell type secretes the ECM in connective tissues?

A

fibroblasts

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6
Q

Which type of fibroblasts form cartilage?

A

chondroblasts

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7
Q

Which type of fibroblast forms bone?

A

osteoblasts

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8
Q

What are the three major classes of ECMs?

A
  1. proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)
  2. fibrous proteins
  3. glycoproteins
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9
Q

Which ECM class are these proteins found in?
- hyaluronan
- perlecan
- decorin
- aggrecan

A

proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (GAG)

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10
Q

Which ECM class are these proteins found in?
- type IV collagen
- fibrillar collagen

A

fibrous proteins

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11
Q

Which is the largest class of ECM proteins?

A

glycoproteins

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12
Q

Which ECM class are these proteins found in?
- laminin
- nidogen
- fibronectin

A

glycoproteins

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13
Q

How many ECM proteins do mammals have?

A

300

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14
Q

What are the two types of ECM assemblies distinguished between tissues?

A
  • Basal lamina (basement membrane)
  • Connective tissue
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15
Q

Where do you find basal laminae?

A

it underlies all epithelial and surrounds some non-epithelial cell types incl.
- multinucleated muscle fibre in skeletal muscle
- entire length of myelin sheath

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16
Q

What is the primary function of the basal membrane?

A

Provide mechanical stability

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17
Q

What are some other functions the basement membrane may have?

A

Selective filter
Determines cell polarity
Can influence cell behaviour
Highway for cell migrations

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18
Q

What is carcinoma?

A

cancer of the epithelial cell

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19
Q

How do cancer cells eat through the basement membrane?

A

Express matrix metalloproteases - enzymes capable of degrading ECM proteins

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20
Q

What are the interwoven networks of the basal laminae?

A
  1. Laminin network
  2. Perlecan network
  3. Type IV collagen
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21
Q

Which mesh-works does nidogen bind to in basement membrane?

A

Laminin
Type IV collagen

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22
Q

How do cells interact with type IV collagen and laminin on basement membrane?

A

via intern heterodimers

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23
Q

What are the primary organisers of the basal lamina sheet?

A

Laminin

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24
Q

What are the three subunits of laminin? What shape do they make?

A

alpha chain
beta chain
gamma chain

crucifix shape

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25
Q

How many genes encode for laminin?

A

11

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26
Q

Basal epithelial cells are attached to basement membrane. What attaches them?

A

Hemidesmosomes

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27
Q

What are hemidesmosomes?

A

Cell-matrix junctions that help anchor the epithelial cells to the basement membrane

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28
Q

What diseases can mutations in hemidesmosome proteins lead to?

A

severe skin blistering diseases

29
Q

What family of proteins does collagen belong to?

A

fibrous proteins

30
Q

Which tissue type secretes collagen in large quantities?

A

connective tissue

31
Q

How many chains of alpha polypeptide are there in collagen?

A

3 in left handed helix

32
Q

What is the triplet series in collagen’s alpha chain?

A

glycine - x - y

x usually is proline
y usually is hydroxyl proline

33
Q

How many genes code for collagen alpha chains?

A

42

34
Q

Which types of collagens do we find in connective tissue/ECM?

A

fibril forming collagen
fibril-associated collagen

35
Q

Which collagen is an essential part of hemidesmosomes?

A

transmembrane collagen

36
Q

Which type of collagen is found in basal laminae?

A

network-forming collagen

37
Q

Which type of collagen forms a network/sheet?

A

type IV collagen

38
Q

What is the difference between fibril forming collagen vs type IV collagen?

A

fibril forming collagen is more rigid and elongated

39
Q

What is the function of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ)?

A

The NMJ relays signals between the axon terminal of a motor neuron and a skeletal muscle fiber, allowing muscle contraction

40
Q

What happens to the motor nerve cells when a skeletal muscle injury cuts a nerve?

A

The motor nerve cells connected to the muscle fiber degenerate.

41
Q

Why is the basal lamina around the neuromuscular junction able to direct nerve regeneration?

A

Unique composition of basement membrane different to that of the surrounding muscle

Guides nerve (but not muscle) regeneration

42
Q

What do motor neurone axons deposit at at NMJ?

A

the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh).

43
Q

What do muscle cells deposit at the NMJ?

A

laminin

44
Q

What is the main component of ground substance?

A

glycosaminoglycans (GAG)

45
Q

Which cell secretes and remodels the ECM in connective tissue?

A

fibroblast

46
Q

Are the long unbranched polysaccharide chains negative or positively charged?

A

highly negatively due to sulphates and carboxyl groups on sugars

47
Q

Are GAGs hydrophilic or hydrophobic?

A

hydrophilic

48
Q

What are the four types of GAGs?

A
  1. Hyaluronic acid
  2. Chondroitin sulphate
  3. Heparin sulphate
  4. Keratan sulphate
49
Q

What is created when GAGs bind to a core protein?

A

proteoglycan

50
Q

Which GAG does not form a proteoglycan?

A

hyaluronic acid

51
Q

Where and what synthesises hyaluronic acid?

A

Hyaluronan synthase enzyme
On the plasma membrane

52
Q

Where are the GAGs bound to core proteins?

A

Golgi apparatus

53
Q

What is added to a serine on the core protein?

A

tetrasaccharide

54
Q

What makes up the proteoglycan Aggrecan?

A

Chondroitin sulfate
Keratan sulfate
Core protein

55
Q

Are decorin and perlecan GAGs or proteoglycans?

A

proteoglycans

56
Q

Which protein type can act as reservoirs due to their binding of signalling molecules?

A

proteoglycans

57
Q

Which GAG forms a hydrogel?

A

hyaluronic acid

58
Q

What does hyaluronic acid molecules attract (due to their negative charge)?

Hint: not water

A

A cloud of positively charged sodium ions

59
Q

What does the cloud of positively charged sodium ions surrounding hyaluronic acid attract?

A

Water

60
Q

What is a medical application of hyaluronic acid?

A

Inject hyaluronic acid into knee joint of those with cartilage damage.
Hydrogel forms in knee and eases symptoms from grinding.

61
Q

Organisation of collagen fibrils. Fill in gaps:

Precursor alpha chain

Proollagen triple helix (loose ends)

Collagen molecule

?

Collagen fibre

A

Collagen fibril

62
Q

How do the three alpha chains assemble into a procollagen?

A

via pro collagen peptidase

63
Q

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) deaminates lysine and hydorxylysine residues on collagen.

Causes reactive aldehyde groups.

What type of links are formed from this?

A

covalent links

64
Q

Which are larger and stronger, collagen fibrils or collagen fibres?

A

collagen fibres

65
Q

Which type of collagen helps form fibres from fibrils?

A

Fibril-associated collagens

66
Q

What is a main function of collagen fibrils/fibers?

A

Resistance against tensile stress (stretch)

67
Q

How does scurvy come about?

A

Vitamin C deficiency
Less hydroxyproline
Collagen triple helix cannot form

68
Q

What coils does elastin protein consist of?

A

alternating hydrophobic (random coils) and hydrophilic (alpha helical) domains

69
Q

Which tissues is elastin prominent in?

A

Ones that need to be elastic.
E.g., artery
Dermis

AMM (18 decks)

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