In: Biology
CELL BIOLOGY
Animal extracellular matrices are made up of 1) fibers (predominantly collagen and elastic), 2) GAGs and proteoglycans, and 3) adhesive glycoproteins (such as fibronectin and laminin). Describe the structures and functions of each class of molecule in the extracellular matrix.
1. Collagen and elastin are the predominant parts of Extracellular matrix which provide tensile strength and the integrity helping the cell in chemotaxis, diffrentiation, transport of substances, migration etc.
Collagen is the protein which is formed by chains of amino acids in a triple helical form forming the collagen helix. Elastin are small proteins formed by amino acids like Alanine, valine, glycine etc. providing the elastic strength to the structure.
2. GAGs (Glycosaminoglycans) are the heteropolysacharides present in the cell membrane and ECM which provides many functions like maintaining integrity, enzyme modulation, signalling mechanism etc. Examples are. Hyaluronic acid, Chondroitin sulfate, keratij sulfate etc. Proteoglycans are the proteins covalently bounded with the polysachharides. These helps in strengthening of the ECM and maintains it integrity.
3. Adhesive glycoproteins like fibronectin which usuay remains as a dimer of two polypeptide chains and laminin which is a heterotrimeric protein containing 3 chains alpha, beta and gamma, are present in the ECM and helps to bind other proteins and components of ECM like collagen, hyaluronic acid, elastin etc. They maintain the stabilty and helps in migration, diffrentiation etc. The membrane receptors are also associated with them so helps in modulating the functions of the former.
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