title: FACIT collagens: diverse molecular bridges in extracellular matrices.
abstract: The collagens form a large family of proteins. Collagen fibrils, composed of staggered arrays of fibrillar collagen molecules (types I, II, III, V and XI), provide a supporting scaffold for extracellular matrices of connective tissues. The non-fibrillar collagens are less abundant than the fibrillar collagens, but it is becoming clear that they have important functions in the matrix. Recently, a group with unique structural characteristics has been defined and named the FACIT (Fibril-Associated Collagens with Interrupted Triple-helices) group. There is evidence that these collagens may serve as molecular bridges that are important for the organization and stability of extracellular matrices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen