Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the differentiated state of normal and malignant
cells. The first step of cell separation (trypsinization and collagenase treatment), by removing
membranous receptors and matrix elements and structures, produces a discontinuity
between the cell and its environment. Thus, if the outside directs what (and how much) the
cell should or should not produce, the flow of information may never be exactly the same.
There are two exceptions to this. The extent and the composition of the extracellular matrix is …