Extracellular matrix components and cell-surface adhesion machinery (ECM/CAM)

The extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell-surface adhesion machinery represent a vast network of extracellular macromolecules and transmembrane receptors that provide structural scaffolding and biochemical signaling cues to tissues (NCBI, PMC7071957). Major components include fibrous proteins like collagen, glycoproteins such as laminin and fibronectin, and adhesion receptors like integrins, cadherins, and selectins (UniProt; StatPearls, NBK541077). These systems are fundamental for maintaining tissue architecture, facilitating cell migration, and regulating differentiation (PubMed, 29481550). In disease, the remodeling of the ECM and alterations in adhesion molecule expression are hallmarks of cancer metastasis, chronic fibrosis, and inflammatory disorders (Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 2014). Therapeutic interventions targeting this machinery, such as integrin antagonists, are used to treat conditions ranging from multiple sclerosis to acute coronary syndromes (FDA, Tysabri Label; PubMed, 12750655).

Other names

Extracellular matrixECMCell adhesion moleculesCAMsMatrisomeAdhesion machinery

Antagonism of cell-surface adhesion receptors (e.g., integrins) to block leukocyte trafficking or platelet aggregation, and enzymatic modulation of the extracellular matrix to alter tissue permeability (NCBI, NBK541077; PubMed, 12750655).