scholarly journals The matrix in focus: new directions in extracellular matrix research from the 2021 ASMB hybrid meeting

Biology Open ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan A. Nerger ◽  
Tia M. Jones ◽  
Keron W. J. Rose ◽  
Anna Barqué ◽  
Justin S. Weinbaum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Scientific Meeting ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Scientific Conference ◽  
Architectural Support ◽  
Therapeutic Modalities ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
American Society ◽  
Molecular Signals

ABSTRACT The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex assembly of macromolecules that provides both architectural support and molecular signals to cells and modulate their behaviors. Originally considered a passive mechanical structure, decades of research have since demonstrated how the ECM dynamically regulates a diverse set of cellular processes in development, homeostasis, and disease progression. In September 2021, the American Society for Matrix Biology (ASMB) organized a hybrid scientific meeting, integrating in-person and virtual formats, to discuss the latest developments in ECM research. Here, we highlight exciting scientific advances that emerged from the meeting including (1) the use of model systems for fundamental and translation ECM research, (2) ECM-targeting approaches as therapeutic modalities, (3) cell-ECM interactions, and (4) the ECM as a critical component of tissue engineering strategies. In addition, we discuss how the ASMB incorporated mentoring, career development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in both virtual and in-person events. Finally, we reflect on the hybrid scientific conference format and how it will help the ASMB accomplish its mission moving forward.

scholarly journals Cell contraction induces long-ranged stress stiffening in the extracellular matrix

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (16) ◽  
pp. 4075-4080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Long Han ◽  
Pierre Ronceray ◽  
Guoqiang Xu ◽  
Andrea Malandrino ◽  
Roger D. Kamm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Optical Tweezers ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Animal Cells ◽  
Surrounding Matrix ◽  
Highly Nonlinear ◽  
Nonlinear Stress ◽  
Nonlinear Mechanical ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
3D Matrix

Animal cells in tissues are supported by biopolymer matrices, which typically exhibit highly nonlinear mechanical properties. While the linear elasticity of the matrix can significantly impact cell mechanics and functionality, it remains largely unknown how cells, in turn, affect the nonlinear mechanics of their surrounding matrix. Here, we show that living contractile cells are able to generate a massive stiffness gradient in three distinct 3D extracellular matrix model systems: collagen, fibrin, and Matrigel. We decipher this remarkable behavior by introducing nonlinear stress inference microscopy (NSIM), a technique to infer stress fields in a 3D matrix from nonlinear microrheology measurements with optical tweezers. Using NSIM and simulations, we reveal large long-ranged cell-generated stresses capable of buckling filaments in the matrix. These stresses give rise to the large spatial extent of the observed cell-induced matrix stiffness gradient, which can provide a mechanism for mechanical communication between cells.

scholarly journals Distinct extracellular-matrix remodeling events precede symptoms of inflammation

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elee Shimshoni ◽  
Idan Adir ◽  
Ran Afik ◽  
Inna Solomonov ◽  
Anjana Shenoy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Matrix Remodeling ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Bowel Diseases ◽  
Clinical Potential

AbstractIdentification of early processes leading to complex tissue pathologies, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, poses a major scientific and clinical challenge that is imperative for improved diagnosis and treatment. Most studies of inflammation onset focus on cellular processes and signaling molecules, while overlooking the environment in which they take place, the continuously remodeled extracellular matrix. In this study, we used colitis models for investigating extracellular-matrix dynamics during disease onset, while treating the matrix as a complete and defined entity. Through the analysis of matrix structure, stiffness and composition, we unexpectedly revealed that even prior to the first clinical symptoms, the colon displays its own unique extracellular-matrix signature and found specific markers of clinical potential, which were also validated in human subjects. We also show that the emergence of this pre-symptomatic matrix is mediated by sub-clinical infiltration of neutrophils and monocytes bearing remodeling enzymes. Remarkably, whether the inflammation is chronic or acute, its matrix signature converges at pre-symptomatic states. We suggest that the existence of a pre-symptomatic extracellular-matrix is general and relevant to a wide range of diseases.

scholarly journals Regulation of the Extracellular Matrix by Ciliary Machinery

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Collins I ◽  
Wann A.K.T
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Primary Cilium ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Tissue Homeostasis ◽  
Cell Behaviour ◽  
Structural Support ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Cellular Signalling ◽  
The Matrix

The primary cilium is an organelle involved in cellular signalling. Mutations affecting proteins involved in cilia assembly or function result in diseases known as ciliopathies, which cause a wide variety of phenotypes across multiple tissues. These mutations disrupt various cellular processes, including regulation of the extracellular matrix. The matrix is important for maintaining tissue homeostasis through influencing cell behaviour and providing structural support; therefore, the matrix changes observed in ciliopathies have been implicated in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Whilst many studies have associated the cilium with processes that regulate the matrix, exactly how these matrix changes arise is not well characterised. This review aims to bring together the direct and indirect evidence for ciliary regulation of matrix, in order to summarise the possible mechanisms by which the ciliary machinery could regulate the composition, secretion, remodelling and organisation of the matrix.

scholarly journals The Matrix Reloaded: How Sensing the Extracellular Matrix Synchronizes Bacterial Communities

2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (13) ◽  
pp. 2092-2103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitai Steinberg ◽  
Ilana Kolodkin-Gal
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Communicative Behaviors ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Active Player ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Biofilm Development ◽  
Different Cell Types

In response to chemical communication, bacterial cells often organize themselves into complex multicellular communities that carry out specialized tasks. These communities are frequently referred to as biofilms, which involve the collective behavior of different cell types. Like cells of multicellular eukaryotes, the biofilm cells are surrounded by self-produced polymers that constitute the extracellular matrix (ECM), which binds them to each other and to the surface. In multicellular eukaryotes, it has been evident for decades that cell-ECM interactions control multiple cellular processes during development. While cells both in biofilms and in multicellular eukaryotes are surrounded by ECM and activate various genetic programs, until recently it has been unclear whether cell-ECM interactions are recruited in bacterial communicative behaviors. In this review, we describe the examples reported thus far for ECM involvement in control of cell behavior throughout the different stages of biofilm formation. The studies presented in this review have provided a newly emerging perspective of the bacterial ECM as an active player in regulation of biofilm development.

Extracellular matrix: the gatekeeper of tumor angiogenesis

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 1543-1555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Mongiat ◽  
Simone Buraschi ◽  
Eva Andreuzzi ◽  
Thomas Neill ◽  
Renato V. Iozzo
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Tumor Angiogenesis ◽  
Signaling Cascades ◽  
Cancer Growth ◽  
Cell Behavior ◽  
Metastatic Progression ◽  
Surface Receptors ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Multiple Signaling

Abstract The extracellular matrix is a network of secreted macromolecules that provides a harmonious meshwork for the growth and homeostatic development of organisms. It conveys multiple signaling cascades affecting specific surface receptors that impact cell behavior. During cancer growth, this bioactive meshwork is remodeled and enriched in newly formed blood vessels, which provide nutrients and oxygen to the growing tumor cells. Remodeling of the tumor microenvironment leads to the formation of bioactive fragments that may have a distinct function from their parent molecules, and the balance among these factors directly influence cell viability and metastatic progression. Indeed, the matrix acts as a gatekeeper by regulating the access of cancer cells to nutrients. Here, we will critically evaluate the role of selected matrix constituents in regulating tumor angiogenesis and provide up-to-date information concerning their primary mechanisms of action.

scholarly journals Modulating Tumor Cell Functions by Tunable Nanopatterned Ligand Presentation

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 212
Author(s):  
Katharina Amschler ◽  
Michael P. Schön
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Tumor Cell ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Biophysical Parameters ◽  
Ligand Density ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Cell Functions

Cancer comprises a large group of complex diseases which arise from the misrouted interplay of mutated cells with other cells and the extracellular matrix. The extracellular matrix is a highly dynamic structure providing biochemical and biophysical cues that regulate tumor cell behavior. While the relevance of biochemical signals has been appreciated, the complex input of biophysical properties like the variation of ligand density and distribution is a relatively new field in cancer research. Nanotechnology has become a very promising tool to mimic the physiological dimension of biophysical signals and their positive (i.e., growth-promoting) and negative (i.e., anti-tumoral or cytotoxic) effects on cellular functions. Here, we review tumor-associated cellular functions such as proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and phenotype switch that are regulated by biophysical parameters such as ligand density or substrate elasticity. We also address the question of how such factors exert inhibitory or even toxic effects upon tumor cells. We describe three principles of nanostructured model systems based on block copolymer nanolithography, electron beam lithography, and DNA origami that have contributed to our understanding of how biophysical signals direct cancer cell fate.

scholarly journals Crosstalk between Different DNA Repair Pathways Contributes to Neurodegenerative Diseases

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Swapnil Gupta ◽  
Panpan You ◽  
Tanima SenGupta ◽  
Hilde Nilsen ◽  
Kulbhushan Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Dna Repair ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Spinocerebellar Ataxias ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Damage Response ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

Genomic integrity is maintained by DNA repair and the DNA damage response (DDR). Defects in certain DNA repair genes give rise to many rare progressive neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), such as ocular motor ataxia, Huntington disease (HD), and spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA). Dysregulation or dysfunction of DDR is also proposed to contribute to more common NDDs, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Here, we present mechanisms that link DDR with neurodegeneration in rare NDDs caused by defects in the DDR and discuss the relevance for more common age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, we highlight recent insight into the crosstalk between the DDR and other cellular processes known to be disturbed during NDDs. We compare the strengths and limitations of established model systems to model human NDDs, ranging from C. elegans and mouse models towards advanced stem cell-based 3D models.

scholarly journals von Willebrand factor released from Weibel-Palade bodies binds more avidly to extracellular matrix than that secreted constitutively

Blood ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 1531-1534 ◽  
Author(s):  
LA Sporn ◽  
VJ Marder ◽  
DD Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Von Willebrand Factor ◽  
Immunofluorescent Staining ◽  
Cultured Endothelial Cells ◽  
Human Foreskin Fibroblasts ◽  
Platelet Binding ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Von Willebrand ◽  
Willebrand Factor

Abstract Large multimers of von Willebrand factor (vWf) are released from the Weibel-Palade bodies of cultured endothelial cells following treatment with a secretagogue (Sporn et al, Cell 46:185, 1986). These multimers were shown by immunofluorescent staining to bind more extensively to the extracellular matrix of human foreskin fibroblasts than constitutively secreted vWf, which is composed predominantly of dimeric molecules. Increased binding of A23187-released vWf was not due to another component present in the releasate, since releasate from which vWf was adsorbed, when added together with constitutively secreted vWf, did not promote binding. When iodinated plasma vWf was overlaid onto the fibroblasts, the large forms bound preferentially to the matrix. These results indicated that the enhanced binding of the vWf released from the Weibel-Palade bodies was likely due to its large multimeric size. It appears that multivalency is an important component of vWf interaction with the extracellular matrix, just as has been shown for vWf interaction with platelets. The pool of vWf contained within the Weibel-Palade bodies, therefore, is not only especially suited for platelet binding, but also for interaction with the extracellular matrix.

scholarly journals Maternal Uterine Vascular Remodeling During Pregnancy

Physiology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Osol ◽  
Maurizio Mandala
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Blood Flow ◽  
Vascular Remodeling ◽  
Normal Pregnancy ◽  
Uterine Blood Flow ◽  
Growth And Remodeling ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Uteroplacental Blood Flow ◽  
Uterine Circulation

Sufficient uteroplacental blood flow is essential for normal pregnancy outcome and is accomplished by the coordinated growth and remodeling of the entire uterine circulation, as well as the creation of a new fetal vascular organ: the placenta. The process of remodeling involves a number of cellular processes, including hyperplasia and hypertrophy, rearrangement of existing elements, and changes in extracellular matrix. In this review, we provide information on uterine blood flow increases during pregnancy, the influence of placentation type on the distribution of uterine vascular resistance, consideration of the patterns, nature, and extent of maternal uterine vascular remodeling during pregnancy, and what is known about the underlying cellular mechanisms.

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