Cell biology

Metastasis

Biology

Matricellular protein

Chromatography

Extracellular matrix

Signal transduction

Cancer research

Matrix (chemical analysis)

Genetics

Tumor microenvironment

Chemistry

Carcinogenesis

Cancer

Cancer cell

Cancer Research

The extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding cells is indispensable for regulating their behavior. The dynamics of ECM signaling are tightly controlled throughout growth and development. During tissue remodeling, matricellular proteins (MCP) are secreted into the ECM. These factors do not serve classical structural roles, but rather regulate matrix proteins and cell-matrix interactions to influence normal cellular functions. In the tumor microenvironment, it is becoming increasingly clear that aberrantly expressed MCPs can support multiple hallmarks of carcinogenesis by interacting with various cellular components that are coupled to an array of downstream signals. Moreover, MCPs also reorganize the biomechanical properties of the ECM to accommodate metastasis and tumor colonization. This realization is stimulating new research on MCPs as reliable and accessible biomarkers in cancer, as well as effective and selective therapeutic targets.

The Matrix Revolution: Matricellular Proteins and Restructuring of the Cancer Microenvironment