Fig. 7.

The matrisome: in silico definition and in vivo characterization by proteomics of normal and tumor extracellular matrices. We propose here to update and broaden the use of the term “matrisome”—first used by Martin and collaborators in 1984 to define supramolecular basement membrane complex (including collagen IV, laminin, nidogen, and proteoglycan) (57)—to define the universe of ECM proteins and their complexes that can contribute to ECM structures. The domain-based bioinformatic analyses defined a set of extracellular matrix proteins (core matrisome) and an additional set of matrisome-associated proteins within the human and mouse genomes. This in silico definition of the matrisome was further used to annotate the proteomic output. The combination of a robust definition of matrisomal proteins and a high throughput proteomics pipeline led to the identification of more than 100 extracellular matrix proteins within any given tissue or tumor.