Cell-Matrix Interactions

The extracellular matrix, or ECM, is the material that helps hold cells together in a tissue. It also lets cells in that tissue communicate with one another. The ECM contains proteins such as fibronectin, collagen, and laminin. Collagen is the most abundant protein in this space.

Collagen fibers are woven together with proteoglycans, which are protein molecules with carbohydrates attached. This mix gives the ECM its structure. It also supports cell migration and provides a scaffold for cell...

Integrins help animal and protozoan cells attach to the extracellular matrix, or ECM. These cells do not have cell walls, so the ECM helps maintain shape and provide structural stability. The ECM is a sticky network of carbohydrates and proteins found between adjacent cells.

Some ECM proteins form a basement membrane, and other ECM parts adhere to it. Proteoglycans make up much of the ECM, while fibrous proteins such as collagen give it strength. Fibronectin connects proteoglycans and collagen...

Integrins help cells connect with their environment and send signals across the cell membrane. They can carry information from outside the cell to the inside, or from inside the cell to the outside. These two paths are called outside-in signaling and inside-out signaling.

In outside-in signaling, molecules in the extracellular space bind to exposed ligand-binding sites on integrins. A ligand is a molecule that binds to a protein. This binding makes the inactive integrin change shape and become...

Integrins trigger focal adhesion signaling at the cell membrane. These membrane receptors sit in the phospholipid bilayer with hydrophobic regions that match the membrane interior. They provide attachment sites for outside signals such as hormones and growth factors. When these effectors bind and become active, integrins can start response pathways inside the cell.

Some integrin-driven pathways support cell growth and help cells survive. The signal begins at the membrane, but G-proteins and...

Anchoring junctions are multiprotein complexes that help cells connect to other cells and to the extracellular matrix. They sit on the lateral and basal surfaces of cells. These junctions create strong, flexible links that help maintain tissue stability and integrity.

Focal adhesions often form when cells interact with the extracellular matrix, or ECM, substrata. These contacts can start signal transduction through kinase cascades and other pathways. Together, these junctions help cells stay...

Focal adhesions help animal cells connect to the extracellular matrix and sense mechanical forces. The extracellular matrix, or ECM, sits outside cells and helps tissues withstand stress. It also sends signals from outside the cell to the inside.

The ECM is large and its makeup changes from one tissue to another. In loose connective tissue, reticular fibers and ground substance form the ECM. In bone tissue, collagen and bone minerals make up the ECM.

Anchoring junctions hold a cell to the...