ECM Full Form

ECM can stand for either extracellular matrix in terms of biology and enterprise content management as well. They both are quite different as one is found in the part of a human body. The enterprise content management adds a timeline for all the content items and also enforces the process for creating, approving and distributing the same. So in a way, it extends the content management concept. Also, a secure repository is provided by those systems that use ECM for managed items, digital or analogue. On the other hand, ECM in biology stands for the extracellular matrix, which is a 3-D network containing extracellular minerals and macromolecules.

About Extracellular Matrix

The extracellular matrix contains minerals and macromolecules like enzymes, collagen, hydroxyapatite and Glycoproteins. This is responsible for providing biochemical and structural support for all the cells that are present around it. Because of the fact that multicellularity has evolved independently depending on multicellular lineages, there is a variation in the constitution of ECM among the different structures of multicellularity. However, there are certain similar functions that ECM has, which include differentiation and communication among cells and cell adhesives. The animal and the plant ECM are a bit different from each other. 

Extracellular Matrix of Plant 

The ECM of plants contains the cell wall components, such as Cellulose, along with some signalling molecules that are complex.

Extracellular Matrix of Animal 

In the animal ECM, basement membrane and interstitial matrix are included. The deposition that looks like a sheet present on ECM is known as basement membranes. This is the membrane on which the epithelial cells usually rest. On the other hand, an interstitial matrix is generally present among different animal cells, like interstitial spaces. These interstitial spaces are filled with fibrous proteins and polysaccharides gels. All the connective tissue present in animals features one of the types of extracellular matrix. For example, the bone tissue ECM contains bone mineral and collagen fibres.

Structure

With the help of exocytosis, the resident cells produce and secrete all the components found in the ECM. In the composition of a CM, there is a mesh kind of network that is made of glycosaminoglycans and fibrous proteins. The structure of the extracellular matrix is explained as follows. 

Proteoglycans

The extracellular matrix proteins are attached by carbohydrate polymers, Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). This forms proteoglycans. These proteoglycans possess a negative charge and are responsible for attracting Sodium ions, as they are positively charged. This further attracts water with the help of osmosis and keeps the surrounding cells and ECM hydrated. This can also help in storing and trapping growth factors inside the matrix. 

Types of proteoglycans that can be found in ECM are:

• Heparan sulfate
• Chondroitin sulfate
• Keratan sulfate

Non-proteoglycan Polysaccharide

A non-proteoglycan polysaccharide is also found in the structure, named Hyaluronic Acid, also known as Hyaluronan. It is a type of polysaccharide (linear polysaccharide) that is composed of N-acetylglucosamine and D-glucuronic acid alternating residues. It is not present in proteoglycan like other types of GAGs. It is considered a major component of the interstitial gel, as it is responsible for absorbing water and is found in good amounts in the joints ECM, which are load-bearers. During biosynthesis, it is translocated out from the cell, or else it is found in the cell membrane’s inner surface. 

Proteins

In the extracellular matrix, collagen and elastin are two types of proteins which are found.

Collagen

The protein found in the maximum amount found in the extracellular matrix and in the body of humans is collagen. 90% of protein content found in the bone matrix is made of collagen. They are responsible for providing structural support for the surrounding cells as it is found in the form of fibrillar proteins. 

Elastin

Othe protein present is Elastins, and they are responsible for providing elasticity to the tissues to make them stretch and return back to their normal state. This type of movement is for the skin, lungs, blood vessels, and ligamentum nuchae. In these tissues, the amount of elastins present is very high. 

Extracellular vesicles

The presence of extracellular vesicles was reported in 2016. There were RNA, DNA, and MBVs (Matrix-bound nanovesicles) present in bioscaffolds of ECM. The size and shape of MBVs were consistent. Huleihel et al. reported the same.

Functions in brief

Some functions of the extracellular matrix are:

• To provide support
• To segregate tissues from each other
• To regulate communication among cells
• To regulate the dynamic behaviour of cell
• To store or trap cellular growth factors
• Its formation is important for processes such as fibrosis, growth, and wound healing

Conclusion

ECM can stand for enterprise content management or extracellular membrane in biology. The extracellular membrane is a three-dimensional network. It has various macromolecules, proteins, and minerals present. The extracellular membrane contains proteins whose absence, lack, or defect in genes can also lead to disorders. Also, it plays some major functions for animals and plants to function normally.