Through these physical and biochemical characteristics the ECM generates the biochemical and mechanical properties of each organ, such as its tensile and compressive strength and elasticity, and also mediates protection by a buffering action that maintains extracellular homeostasis and water retention. Moreover, the ECM is a highly dynamic structure that is constantly being remodeled, either enzymatically or non-enzymatically, and its molecular components are subjected to a myriad of post-translational modifications. Adhesion mediates cytoskeletal coupling to the ECM and is involved in cell migration through the ECM ( Schmidt and Friedl, 2010). Cell adhesion to the ECM is mediated by ECM receptors, such as integrins, discoidin domain receptors and syndecans ( Harburger and Calderwood, 2009 Humphries et al., 2006 Leitinger and Hohenester, 2007 Xian et al., 2010). Indeed, the physical, topological, and biochemical composition of the ECM is not only tissue-specific, but is also markedly heterogeneous.
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epithelial, fibroblast, adipocyte, endothelial elements) and the evolving cellular and protein microenvironment. Although, fundamentally, the ECM is composed of water, proteins and polysaccharides, each tissue has an ECM with a unique composition and topology that is generated during tissue development through a dynamic and reciprocal, biochemical and biophysical dialogue between the various cellular components (e.g. The importance of the ECM is vividly illustrated by the wide range of syndromes, which can be anything from minor to severe, that arise from genetic abnormalities in ECM proteins ( Jarvelainen et al., 2009). The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the non-cellular component present within all tissues and organs, and provides not only essential physical scaffolding for the cellular constituents but also initiates crucial biochemical and biomechanical cues that are required for tissue morphogenesis, differentiation and homeostasis.