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Chapter-22 Extracellular Matrix

BOOK TITLE: Essentials of Biochemistry for Medical Students

Author
1. B Shivananda Nayak
ISBN
9788184487718
DOI
10.5005/jp/books/11024_22
Edition
1/e
Publishing Year
2010
Pages
7
Author Affiliations
1. University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies; Subbaiah Institute of Medical Sciences, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
Chapter keywords

Abstract

Extracellular matrix is a complex structural entity surrounding and supporting cells that are found within mammalian tissues and often referred to as the connective tissue. The ECM is contains three major classes of biomolecules such as structural proteins (collagen, fibrillin and elastin), specialized proteins (fibrillin, fibronectin, and laminin) and proteoglycans (composed of a protein core attached with long chains of repeating disaccharide units termed of glycosaminoglycans). Collagen is the main protein of connective tissue in animals and the most abundant protein in mammals. There are 27 types of collagen in total. Glycosaminoglycans are the abundant heteropolysaccharides found in the body and are long unbranched polysaccharides with repeating disaccharide unit.

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