The tissues of a multicellular organism contain two main components, the cells themselves, onwhichmost biological research has traditionally focused, and the material that lies between the cells. This material is called the extracellular matrix, usually abbreviated to ‘ECM’. The ratio of tissue volume occupied by ECM to that occupied by cells varies from less than 1:10 (e.g. in muscles) to more...

The purine nucleotide ATP is a fundamental unit in cellular energy metabolism. Extracellular and its metabolites are also ligands for family of receptors, known as purinergic which expressed ubiquitously almost every cell type. In the immune system, extracellular signals regulate migration activation cells to orchestrate induction resolution inflammation. this review, we provide an overview rec...

A multifunctional, ubiquitous molecule, adenosine acts at cell-surface G protein-coupled receptors, as well numerous enzymes, including protein kinases and adenylyl cyclase. Extracellular is thought to be produced either by export or metabolism, predominantly through ecto-5’-nucleotidase activity (also producing inorganic phosphate). It inactivated extracellular metabolism via deaminase ammonia...

The maintenance of the levels and correct folding state of proteins (proteostasis) is a fundamental prerequisite for life. Life has evolved complex mechanisms to maintain proteostasis and many of these that operate inside cells are now well understood. The same cannot yet be said of corresponding processes in extracellular fluids of the human body, where inappropriate protein aggregation is kno...

Background: Proteolytic enzymes have an important role in variety of physiological and pathological functions. They have been used in therapeutic and pharmaceutical applications. Characterizations of extracellular proteases from various strains of S. marcescens indicate that most strains produce a very similar major metalloprotease. This metalloprotease (serrapeptidase, serrapeptase) is an impo...