Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in Hypertensive Heart DiseaseEditorials published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of JACC or the American College of Cardiology

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2006-07, Vol.48 (1), p.97
• Main Authors: Shirwany, Arsalan, Weber, Karl T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cardiology; Heart attacks; Muscular system; Rodents; Wound healing
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2006.04.004

The tensile strength of type I collagen approximates that of steel. [...]it is not surprising that matrix is a major determinant of myocardial stiffness during diastole (3,4). On the basis of its morphologic features, as seen by scanning electron and light microscopy, this contiguous collagenous network has been anatomically subdivided into epi-, peri-, and endomysium: the epimysium is located on endocardial and epicardial surfaces of the myocardium, where it respectively provides substrate for endothelial and mesothelial cells; the epimysium extends into the interstitial space to form a perimysium that surrounds and groups muscle fibers while its strands connect groups of muscle fibers to one another; and the endomysium, which arises from the perimysium to surround individual muscle fibers and whose struts tether muscle fibers together, to their nutrient microvasculature, and to cardiomyocyte actin-myosin microfilaments via their cytoskeletal proteins (5,6).