Related topics: cancer cells

New research unlocks medical potential of jellyfish biomaterial

New research by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and UK biotechnology company Jellagen Ltd has revealed the potential of jellyfish collagen as the foundation for a range of new medical applications and to support new ...

page 1 from 11

Extracellular matrix

In biology, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is the extracellular part of animal tissue that usually provides structural support to the animal cells in addition to performing various other important functions. The extracellular matrix is the defining feature of connective tissue in animals.

Extracellular matrix includes the interstitial matrix and the basement membrane. Interstitial matrix is present between various animal cells (i.e., in the intercellular spaces). Gels of polysaccharides and fibrous proteins fill the interstitial space and act as a compression buffer against the stress placed on the ECM. Basement membranes are sheet-like depositions of ECM on which various epithelial cells rest.

This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA