The extracellular matrix (ECM) constitutes the scaffold of tissues and organs. It is a complex
network of extracellular proteins, proteoglycans and glycoproteins, which form …

Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) increase the risk of aortic dissection or rupture and
represent an important source of morbidity and mortality. Inherited forms of the disease …

Fibrillin microfibrils are extensible polymers that endow connective tissues with long-range
elasticity and have widespread distributions in both elastic and non-elastic tissues. They act …

Elastic fibers are extracellular components of higher vertebrates and confer elasticity and
resilience to numerous tissues and organs such as large blood vessels, lungs, and skin …

Syndecans are type I transmembrane proteins having a core protein modified with
glycosaminoglycan chains, most commonly heparan sulphate. They are an ancient group of …

Elastic fibres are insoluble components of the extracellular matrix of dynamic connective
tissues such as skin, arteries, lungs and ligaments. They are laid down during development …

Cell responses to the extracellular matrix depend on specific signaling events. These are
important from early development, through differentiation and tissue homeostasis, immune …

Cell migration during vascular remodelling is regulated by crosstalk between growth factor
receptors and integrin receptors, which together coordinate cytoskeletal and motogenic …

Extracellular matrix (ECM) within the vascular network provides both a structural and
regulatory role. The ECM is a dynamic composite of multiple proteins that form structures …

Abstract Fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2 are large cysteine-rich glycoproteins that serve two key
physiological functions: as supporting structures that impart tissue integrity and as regulators …