ARTICLE I.  Purpose

The purpose of the Society is to promote and develop studies in the field of matrix biology and to publicize research in the field among researchers and the public. This field includes the structure and function of components of the extracellular matrix, the interactions of these components with cells, the consequences of these interactions for intracellular signaling mechanisms and gene expression, the orderly progression of these processes during embryonic and post-natal development, and the disruption of these processes in hereditary and acquired diseases of animals and humans. The field of matrix biology is also relevant to the clinical disciplines of oncology, orthopedics, rheumatology, and dermatology, and to areas of bioengineering that are concerned with implanted or extracorporeal biomedical devices.