Table 1. 259Extracellular matrix (ECM) components and their functions on pancreas islets.

ECM ingredients	Function in tissues	Role in pancreatic islets	References
Type ΙV and VΙ collagens	Abundant part of ECM in the vascular basement membrane	Promote durability of isolated primary islets and β-cell lines	[26–28]
Laminins	Heterodimer glycoproteins consisting of three polypeptide chains	Increase the durability of isolated primary islets and β-cell lines in mice Critical for β-cell expansion and insulin release in humans	[29,31]
Fibronectins (FNs)	High molecular weight glycoproteins, like collagens, which are a major component of ECM in human tissues	Improve viability and expansion of rat islets and reduces apoptosis in MIN6 β-cell line	[29,30,32]
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)	Similar to HA, if alone, and covalently linked to core proteins to form proteoglycans	Associate with β-cell function, involvement in the ECM of the vascular basement membrane, and amyloid formation	[34,36]

ECM, extracellular matrix; HA, hyaluronic acid.