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Unravelling the extracellular matrix

Nature Cell Biology volume 1, pages E173–E174 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

The extracellular matrix protein fibronectin forms fibrils when in association with cells that exert tension. Cells apply enough force to stretch fibrils in vivo. Stretching of individual fibronectin molecules may reveal conformation-dependent intermolecular binding sites, contributing to the assembly of the molecules into fibrils.

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Figure 1: Ribbon diagram of the tenth FN III repeat of fibronectin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, CB# 7090, 108 Taylor Hall, Chapel Hill, 27599, North Carolina, USA

    Amy Shaub

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  1. Amy Shaub
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Correspondence to Amy Shaub.

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Shaub, A. Unravelling the extracellular matrix. Nat Cell Biol 1, E173–E174 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/15608

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