Topic summary
Intercellular matrix
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Extracellular matrix.
In biology, the extracellular matrix (ECM), also called the intercellular matrix, is a network consisting of extracellularmacromolecules and minerals, such as collagen, enzymes, glycoproteins, glycosaminoglycans, and hydroxyapatite that provide structural and biochemical support to surrounding cells. Because multicellularity evolved independently in different multicellular lineages, the composition of ECM varies between multicellular structures; however, cell adhesion, cell-to-cell communication and differentiation are common functions of the ECM.