Birch Helen L
UCL, London, UK.
Subcell Biochem. 2018;90:169-190. doi: 10.1007/978-981-13-2835-0_7.
The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides the environment for many cells types within the body and, in addition to the well recognised role as a structural support, influences many important cell process within the body. As a result, age-related changes to the proteins of the ECM have far reaching consequences with the potential to disrupt many different aspects of homeostasis and healthy function. The proteins collagen and elastin are the most abundant in the ECM and their ability to function as a structural support and provide mechanical stability results from the formation of supra-molecular structures. Collagen and elastin have a long half-life, as required by their structural role, which leaves them vulnerable to a range of post-translational modifications. In this chapter the role of the ECM is discussed and the component proteins introduced. Major age-related modifications including glycation, carbamylation and fragmentation and the impact these have on ECM function are reviewed.
细胞外基质（ECM）为体内多种细胞类型提供了环境，除了作为结构支撑这一广为人知的作用外，还影响体内许多重要的细胞过程。因此，ECM蛋白质的年龄相关变化具有深远影响，有可能破坏体内平衡和健康功能的许多不同方面。胶原蛋白和弹性蛋白是ECM中含量最丰富的蛋白质，它们作为结构支撑并提供机械稳定性的能力源于超分子结构的形成。胶原蛋白和弹性蛋白由于其结构作用的需要而具有较长的半衰期，这使它们容易受到一系列翻译后修饰的影响。在本章中，将讨论ECM的作用并介绍其组成蛋白质。还将综述包括糖基化、氨甲酰化和片段化在内的主要年龄相关修饰及其对ECM功能的影响。
