The extracellular matrix is the component of tissue that lies immediately outside and between cells in animals and plants.
Keywords: ECM; cellulose; collagens; proteoglycans; adhesion
Extracellular Matrix
Jamie A Davies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Published online: April 2001
DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0001274
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Figure 1. Diagram of an idealized animal tissue showing the two main types of ECM: a basement membrane underlying the epithelial cells of the tissue and a stromal ECM surrounding the cells of the mesenchymal part of the tissue.
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Figure 2. The structure of focal adhesions. The top part of the figure shows a cell migrating on an ECM substrate, while the main figure illustrates the focal adhesions made between the cell and the ECM. FAK, focal adhesion kinase.
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| References | |
| Davies J, Lyon M, Gallagher J and Garrod D (1995) Sulphated proteoglycan is required for collecting duct growth and branching but not nephron formation during kidney development. Development 121: 1507–1517. | |
| Edwards GM, Wilford FH, Liu X et al. (1998) Regulation of mammary differentiation by extracellular matrix involves protein-tyrosine phosphatases. Journal of Biological Chemistry 273: 9495–9500. | |
| Kreidberg JA, Donovan MJ, Goldstein SL et al. (1996) 31 integrin has a crucial role in kidney and lung organogenesis. Development 122: 3537–3547. | |
| Nakanishi Y, Ishii T (1989) Epithelial shape change in mouse embryonic submandibular gland: modulation by extracellular matrix components. BioEssays 11: 163–167. | |
| Pullan S, Wilson J, Metcalfe A et al. (1996) Requirement of basement membrane for the suppression of programmed cell death in mammary epithelium. Journal of Cell Science 109: 631–642. | |
| Underhill CB (1993) Hyaluronan is inversely correlated with the expression of CD44 in the dermal condensation of the embryonic hair follicle. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 101: 820–826. | |
| Further Reading | |
| book Ayad S, Boot-Handford RP, Humphries MJ, Kadler KE and Shuttleworth CA (1998) The Extracellular Matrix Facts Book, 2nd edn. London: Academic Press. [A comprehensive list and brief description of all animal ECM molecules.] | |
| book Bard JBL (1991) Morphogenesis, "chap. 5". Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. | |
| book Chadwick DJ and Goode JA (eds) (1995) The Molecular Biology and Pathology of Elastic Tissues. CIBA Symposium 192. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons. [A more advanced text.] | |
| Cosgrave DJ (1997) Assembly and enlargement of the primary cell wall in plants. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology 13: 171–202.[A comprehensive review.] | |
| book Lodish H, Baltimore D, Berk A et al. (1995) Molecular Cell Biology, "chap. 24". New York: Scientific American Books. [A good basic text.] | |
