Matrix Degradation Analysis

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a major component of the cellular microenvironment and plays diverse roles which constantly undergo different process of regulations such as branching morphogenesis, angiogenesis and wound repair. The ECM is composed of a large collection of biochemically and structurally diverse components and these components can be divided into proteins, proteoglycans, and glycoproteins. Some of the ECM proteins including fibrillar collagens and elastin, contributing to the major tensile strength and viscoelasticity of the tissue by forming fibrils. The changes of ECM composition and topography can be caused by the ECM dynamics deregulated in human cancers, which plays an important role in cancer initiation and progression. In addition, ECM components with deregulated biomechanical properties can also be oncogenic. The ECM also regulates the activation of immune cells. Although collagen type I promotes infiltration of certain immune cells, it also inhibits the ability of macrophages to kill cancer cells by blocking polarization, and thus activation of macrophages.