The emergence and development of malignant tumors is associated with numerous disturbances in the physiology of the cell at both the genomic and protein levels and affects many macromolecules involved in various aspects of its vital activity. However, the growth of a malignant tumor and its metastasis are determined not only by the molecular characteristics of the tumor cell itself, but also by its interaction with the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) – an important and necessary part of any tissue. A huge role in this is played by complex protein-carbohydrate molecules of proteoglycans (PG), which are one of the main components of the ECM and are present on the surface of almost all cells, largely determining intercellular interactions and interactions of cells with the ECM.

proteoglycan, heparan sulfate, glycosaminoglycan, extracellular matrix, chondroitin sulfate, intercellular interactions.

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