Extracellular Matrix

· Collagen is a material that connects to itself and takes up volume, forming fibres and sheets (type IV).

· Elastin attaches to collagen and other elements of the ECM. It is a bungee chord that everything can hold on to.

· Cadherins require calcium to hook up cells that are alike by their cytoskeletons, physically and verbally. These anchor epithelial cells to eachother and muscle cells to eachother, and provide important communications between cells during proliferation and differentiation.

· Integrins connect cells to ECM as well as other cells physically, by hooking up their cytoskeletons, and verbally, acting as a growth factor for the cells that are connected.

· Immunoglobulin family CAMs hook up alike AND other cells.

· Tissue Fibronectin attaches to other ECM components, and forms fibrous aggregates at wound healing sites.

· Plasma Fibronectin binds to fibrin and ECM components, forming a provisional blood clot and providing a framework for subsequent ECM deposition.

· Laminin forms tightly bound networks with sheets of type IV collagen, to create the basement membrane.

· Proteoglycans alter the structure and permeability of the ECM. When in cell membranes, it tells the cell about growth and differentiation.

· Hyaluronic Acid is a viscous gel that provides compression resistance to tissues. It also provides lubrication for joints and moving cells. Leukocytes can stick to it.