Extracellular matrix, or ECM, is the complex network of proteins and sugars that surrounds cells and helps organize tissues. It is not just a passive scaffold. It actively controls how cells behave, communicate and respond to their environment.

The ECM is built mainly from structural proteins such as collagens and elastin, adhesive proteins such as fibronectin and laminins, and hydrated polysaccharide gels called proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans. These components assemble into fibrils, sheets and gels with specific mechanical properties. Cells attach to ECM using surface receptors like integrins, which link the matrix to the cytoskeleton and transmit mechanical and chemical signals.

Research shows that ECM composition and stiffness guide cell migration, shape, division and differentiation. Changing the matrix can switch gene expression programs and influence whether stem cells become bone, fat or nerve cells. In embryonic development, patterned ECM helps drive tissue folding and organ formation. In adults, controlled remodeling of ECM is essential for wound healing and tissue repair.

Disruption of ECM regulation contributes to many diseases. In cancer, tumor cells alter and degrade the surrounding matrix, creating tracks for invasion and modifying signaling to promote growth and metastasis. In fibrosis, excessive deposition of collagen stiffens organs such as lung, liver and heart, impairing function. Age related changes in ECM structure and crosslinking reduce tissue elasticity and regenerative capacity.

Current work aims to map ECM composition in different organs, understand how cells sense matrix mechanics and develop biomimetic materials that recreate ECM functions for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.