Surrounding cells and tissues, the extracellular matrix provides structure to organisms and is important in determining cell growth and the response of the cell to injury and development. This text describes the majority of basic techniques employed in extracellular matrix research.

The extracellular matrix surrounds cells and tissues. It provides structure to organisms and is important in determining cell growth, its state of differentiation, and how the cell responds during injury and development. Changes in the extracellular matrix are also important components in both inherited and acquired diseases. Thus, studies of the extracellular matrix span much of modern biological research. Because the extracellular matrix resides outside the cell, the properties of the component molecules require special approaches for their study. This volume describes the majority of basic techniques employed in extracellular matrix research.