Description
Collagen is the main structural protein in the extracellular space and is the most abundant protein in the ECM. Collagens are divided into two classes - fibril (types I, II, III, V) and non-fibril (types IV, VI). Type III collagen is expressed in the skin and a variety of internal organs including the lungs, intestinal walls, uterus, and walls of blood vessels and is often associated with type I collagen. It also interacts with platelets in the blood clotting cascade. Type III collagen mutations are associated in a range of diseases including the vascular form of Ehlers¢‚¬€œDanlos syndrome. Type III collagen is formed by homotrimers of alpha-1(III) chains