Cardiac Extracellular Matrix (Cardiac ECM)

The cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex, dynamic, and highly organized network of proteins and polysaccharides that fills the space between cells in the heart. It provides both structural support and biochemical signals essential for heart development, function, homeostasis, and response to injury. Alterations in composition or organization of the cardiac ECM are central features in many cardiovascular diseases. Targeting specific ECM components or their regulatory enzymes is an area of therapeutic interest for modulating adverse remodeling after injury. The ECM is not merely a passive scaffold but an active participant in regulating cellular functions critical for normal heart physiology as well as pathophysiological responses following stress or damage. Its intricate composition allows it to serve both mechanical roles—preserving organ integrity—and dynamic regulatory functions essential for adaptation throughout life.

Other names

Myocardial Extracellular MatrixHeart Extracellular Matrix

Modulation of ECM remodeling via MMP or TIMP inhibition; alteration of collagen crosslinking; inhibition of fibrosis signaling pathways.