Melanie C Thein et al. (2002) European Worm Meeting "A GFP-fusion to the cuticular collagen, COL-19, its expression pattern, and its efficacy in the visualisation of ECM disruption."

Melanie C Thein, Gillian MacCormack, Antony P Page

[European Worm Meeting, 2002]

The impermeable C. elegans cuticle, an extracellular matrix (ECM) that surrounds the whole worm, is composed of an extensively cross-linked network of trimeric small collagen-like proteins whose great tensile strength and elasticity facilitate the ECM's role in morphogenesis, motility and providing a protective barrier between the animal and the outside environment. From the complete C. elegans sequence, more than 150 of these collagen genes have been identified each of which possess specific temporal and spatial patterns of expression.