Extracellular matrix modifications at fertilization: regulation of dityrosine crosslinking by transamidation

Extracellular matrix modifications at fertilization: regulation of dityrosine crosslinking by transamidation.

Fertilization is accompanied by the construction of an extracellular matrix that protects the new zygote. In sea urchins, this structure is built from glycoproteins residing at the egg surface and in secretory vesicles at the egg cortex. Four enzymatic activities are required for the transformation of these proteins into the mechanically and chemically resilient fertilization envelope: proteoly...

Free-radical crosslinking of specific proteins alters the function of the egg extracellular matrix at fertilization.

All animal embryos begin development by modifying the egg extracellular matrix. This protein-rich matrix protects against polyspermy, microbes and mechanical stress via enzyme-dependent transformations that alter the organization of its constituents. Using the sea urchin fertilization envelope, a well-defined extracellular structure formed within minutes of fertilization, we examine the mechani...

Renovation of the egg extracellular matrix at fertilization.

Extracellular matrices are essential for cell survival and function. This is especially relevant for eggs, which establish a physical barrier at fertilization to protect a new embryo from additional sperm and pathogens. Formation of an extracellular matrix is most dramatic in sea urchins, in which fertilization was first observed in animals with the "sudden appearance of a perfectly transparent...

Promoting Extracellular Matrix Crosslinking in Synthetic Hydrogels

Crosslinking strategies for preparation of extracellular matrix-derived cardiovascular scaffolds.

Heart valve and blood vessel replacement using artificial prostheses is an effective strategy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease at terminal stage. Natural extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived materials (decellularized allogeneic or xenogenic tissues) have received extensive attention as the cardiovascular scaffold. However, the bioprosthetic grafts usually far less durable and undergo c...