Matrix Matters in the Mind

Proteoglycans - progress in understanding their protean potential. PREMIUM CONTENT subscriber access

Ground substance. That pink-colored haze surrounding cells and tissues on those H&E stained histology slides, the extracellular matrix. Turns out that it plays a very important role in the process of regeneration from injury for neurons. Its components are the focus of intense research - in particular, chondroitin sulfate - a sulfated glycosaminoglycan composed of a chain of alternating sugars.

Chemical structure of one unit in a chondroitin sulfate chain. Chondroitin-4-sulfate: R1 = H; R2 = SO3H; R3 = H. Chondroitin-6-sulfate: R1 = SO3H; R2, R3 = H.