ABSTRACT
Extracellular Matrix Composition o f the Blood Vessel Wall T h e b lood vessel wall is a h ighly ordered an d com plex structu re th a t regulates b lood flow
and pressure, vascular tone and rigidity. T h e extracellular m atrix plays a central role in m aintain ing vessel w all hom eostasis and hence its com position is critical in elucidating how m atrix tu rnover is regulated in b o th norm al and diseased cond itions. T h e structu re o f th e norm al b lood vessel wall, as depicted in Figure 1, emphasises the presence o f three m ajor types o f vascular extracellular m atrix , nam ely basem ent m em branes, an in terstitia l collagenous m atrix and elastic fibres.
