Context It is well established that the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a central role in cell homeostasis and cell adhesion by providing support, promoting cell-to-cell communication and differentiation (or dedifferentiation and tumoral progression when the ECM is modified). The composition but also the stiffness and elasticity of the ECM have important Read more…
Kaur et al. published in 2018 an interesting article about the effect of extracellular matrix (ECM) on skin cancer and immunity: “Remodeling of the collagen matrix in aging skin promotes melanoma metastasis and affects immune cell motility”. The aim of the study was to highlight ECM changes in the physical Read more…
At the occasion of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we would like to highlight the role of the interplay between the extracellular environment and the Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) on the tumoral development, including breast cancers. In our previous articles, we described the pro-tumoral effect of the extracellular environment. Moreover, an Read more…
Cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM): what is the relationship between them? This is a fundamental question. We hear many reflections about this question. Should we let cells work alone, or should we force cells to form an aggregate when working in vitro? Do cells need a specific and relevant Read more…
It is now well described that in tumor biopsies, the stiffness of the cancerous tissue is higher than the surrounding non-cancerous tissue of the same organ, with a described remodeling of the ECM. The increase in rigidity is related to the stimulation of fibroblasts that increase the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans, Read more…
James W. Fawcett published the review « The extracellular matrix in plasticity and regeneration after CNS injury and neurodegenerative disease » in 2015, highlighting the key role of the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in brain plasticity. CSPGs are present in the brain extracellular matrix and Read more…
The 16th SFBMEC congress was held last week in Reims: Elodie and Zied attended the meeting to be aware of the last trends in extracellular matrix (ECM) research and industry and medical applications. And they were not disappointed! After a first touching lecture in memoriam of the late Ladislas Robert Read more…
Next week HCS Pharma will be present at SFBMEc Reims (15th-17th May). We will present a poster about the influence of BIOMIMESYS® hydroscaffold composition and stiffness on the 3D culture of breast cancer cells. The poster will be avalaible next week, but if you want it before, you can contact Read more…
Many categories of drugs can induce hepatotoxicity, so improving the prediction of toxic drugs is important. In vitro models using human hepatocytes are more accurate than in vivo animal models. Good in vitro models require an abundance of metabolic enzyme activities and normal cellular polarity. However, none of the in Read more…
Cells have diverse circuitry to sense and respond to extrinsic metabolic signals. Extracellular matrix (ECM) reorganization which is central to both tissue expansion and regeneration. ECM remodeling is also a signature of pathological processes, such as tumorigenesis. In this study from Sullivan et al., they show that increased migration in Read more…
Half of all drugs fail in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials due to a lack of efficacy !