Matrix Effects

The extracellular matrix is a complex chemically and physically crosslinked network of proteins and glycosaminoglycans. This matrix serves to organize cells in space, to provide them with environmental signals to direct site-specific cellular regulation and to separate one tissue space from another. The interaction between cells and the extracellular matrix is bi-directional and dynamic: cells are constantly accepting information about their environment from cues in the extracellular matrix, and cells are frequently remodeling their extracellular matrix. In this chapter, the proteins in the extracellular matrix and their cell-surface receptors are introduced, and mechanisms by which cells transduce chemical information in their extracellular matrix are discussed. The complex interplay between signaling from matrix molecules and associated growth factors is presented. Methods for spatially displaying matrix recognition factors on and in biomaterials is described, both in the context of model systems for investigation of cellular behavior and from the perspective of creation of bioactive biomaterials for tissue-engineering therapies.