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[libribook.com] Traumatic Scar Tissue Management 1st Edition

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General Histology

Extracellular Matrix Structure and Function

The extracellular matrix structure (ECM) is a complex blend of structural and

functional macromolecules (see Table 2.1).

The ECM comprises (*covered in more detail):

• *Structural proteins, e.g. collagen and elastin (covered in greater detail on pp.

15–16)

• *Non-collagenous/cross-link proteins, e.g. fibrillin, fibronectin and laminin

ECM

constituents

Structural

proteins

Noncollagenous

cross-link

proteins

GS

GAGs and PGs

Polysaccharides

Examples and function

Collagen and elastin: structural struts that while flexible, provide strength and stability

Fibrillin, fibronectin and laminin: structural struts providing flexible-stability and a pathway for

transfer of mechanical strain/tensional loading information from cell to cell

Amorphous, hydrophilic gel, comprised of PGs and GAGs: an important metabolic interface that

fills the space between cells and fibers

Glucosamine, chondroitin, HA: highly negatively charged macromolecules that attract water and

perform a variety of physiological and mechanical functions, such as lubrication to improve

slide/glide between various structural proteins

Starch, glycogen, cellulous: an important class of biological polymers that provide primarily a

storage or structure related function

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