Collagen VI
Collagen VI
Collagen VI (pronounced: kuh-la-juhn six) is a type of collagen that is a major component of the extracellular matrix, the non-cellular component present within all tissues and organs.
Etymology
The term "collagen" is derived from the Greek words "kolla," meaning glue, and "gen," meaning producing. The "VI" is a Roman numeral representing the number six, indicating that it is the sixth type of collagen to be discovered.
Function
Collagen VI is a microfibrillar collagen that plays a crucial role in the maintenance and function of various tissues, including muscle, cartilage, and skin. It is involved in cell adhesion, migration, and survival, and is essential for the integrity of the basement membrane, a thin layer of extracellular matrix that separates epithelial and endothelial cells from underlying tissue.
Related Terms
- Collagen: The main structural protein in the extracellular matrix found in the body's various connective tissues.
- Extracellular matrix: A three-dimensional network of extracellular macromolecules such as collagen, enzymes, and glycoproteins that provide structural and biochemical support to surrounding cells.
- Muscle: A soft tissue found in most animals. Muscle cells contain protein filaments of actin and myosin that slide past one another, producing a contraction that changes both the length and the shape of the cell.
- Cartilage: A resilient and smooth elastic tissue, a rubber-like padding that covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints, and is a structural component of the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the bronchial tubes, the intervertebral discs, and many other body components.
- Skin: The soft outer tissue covering vertebrates.
- Basement membrane: A thin, fibrous, extracellular matrix of tissue that separates the lining of an internal or external body surface from underlying connective tissue.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Collagen VI
- Wikipedia's article - Collagen VI
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