There is a growing interest in understanding tissue organization, homeostasis, and
inflammation. However, despite an abundance of data, the organizing principles of tissue …

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are microvascular complications of
diabetes. Microvascular endothelial cells are thought to be the major targets of …

The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is a key component of the glomerular capillary
wall and is essential for kidney filtration. The major components of the GBM include …

In epithelial cancers, cells must invade through basement membranes (BMs) to metastasize.
The BM, a thin layer of extracellular matrix underlying epithelial and endothelial tissues, is …

How animals evolved from a single-celled ancestor, transitioning from a unicellular lifestyle
to a coordinated multicellular entity, remains a fascinating question. Key events in this …

The basement membrane is a thin but dense, sheet-like specialized type of extracellular
matrix that has remarkably diverse functions tailored to individual tissues and organs. Tightly …

Aquatic invertebrates are a major source of biomaterials and bioactive natural products that
can find applications as pharmaceutics, nutraceutics, cosmetics, antibiotics, antifouling …

Apical extracellular matrices (aECMs) are complex extracellular compartments that form
important interfaces between animals and their environment. In the adult C. elegans cuticle …

The cellular microenvironment, characterized by an extracellular matrix (ECM), played an
essential role in the transition from unicellularity to multicellularity in animals (metazoans) …

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are associated with decreased patient prognosis but
have failed as anti-invasive drug targets despite promoting cancer cell invasion. Through …