Interstitium Info

he non-fluid parts of the interstitium are predominantly collagen types I, III, and V; elastin; and glycosaminoglycans, such as hyaluronan and proteoglycans, that are cross-linked to form a honeycomb-like reticulum.^[3] Collagen bundles of the extracellular matrix form scaffolding with a high tensile strength. Interstitial cells (e.g., fibroblasts, dendritic cells, adipocytes, interstitial cells of Cajal and inflammatory cells, such as macrophages and mast cells), serve a variety of structural and immune functions.^[3][4] Fibroblasts synthesize the production of structural molecules as well as enzymes that break down polymeric molecules.^[3] Such structural components exist both for the general interstitium of the body,^[2] and within individual organs, such as the myocardial interstitium of the heart,^[5] the renal interstitium of the kidney,^[6] and the pulmonary interstitium of the lung.