Extracellular matrices are molecular frameworks that control cell proliferation and differentiation. Among its components are heparan sulfate proteoglycans, which are proteins that carry highly modified sugar chains that bind growth factors. Our group is interested in one of these proteoglycans, called perlecan, which plays an important role in processes such as maintaining the integrity of basal lamina, morphogenesis, angiogenesis, tumor metastasis and tissue repair.
EXTRACELULAR MATRIX PROTEINS LAB: adhesion and cell signaling.
The proteins of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are sythesized by the cells, and then secreted and assembled into a network that contains and protect them, by creating a microenvironment that allows achieving their functions. Each tissue produces a peculiar ECM, which contains many of the clues to progress into cell differentiation, a process that could not be possible outside this natural environment.
It’s weel known that most of the ECM proteins, act cathing and activating signalling molecules. These signals have important effects on cells: promoting proliferation, cell shape changes, differentiation, migration,. . . (outside-inside signalling).
But at the same time, ECM proteins are also effectors after the activations of intracellular or growth factors-activated signals (inside- outside signalling).
In our lab, we are interested in discovering the molecular mechanisms in wich the ECM proteins are involved and how they signal cells. To that end, we employ the latest techniques of knock-out and knock-in mice generation, together with the tissue-specific conditional mutants, with the aim of better understanding the critical processe on which these proteins are involved in both, physiological and pathological responses.
