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A
complex structural entity surrounding and supporting cells that are found within mammalian tissues. The ECM
is often referred to as the connective tissue. The ECM is composed of 3 major
classes of biomolecules:
1. Structural proteins:
collagen and elastin. 2. Specialized proteins:
e.g. Fibrillin, fibronectin, and laminin. 3. Proteoglycans: these are
composed of a protein
core to which is attached long chains of repeating disaccharide units termed
of glycosaminoglycans (gags) forming extremely complex high molecular weight components of the ECM.
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