Invertebrate Collagens in the Scheme of Things

In trying to answer the question, “why are we interested in the invertebrate collagens”, one is led to the broad issues of morphogenesis, the origins of multicellularity, the evolutionary influences on structure and function of proteins and of more immediate importance, the interrelationships among the matrix components themselves and with the cells. How does the mix give rise to a functioning, developing and evolving organism? Since collagen is an all pervasive, easily identifiable structural element of the intercellular matrix we are intrigued with the possibility of using it as a lead to better understanding of these broad questions.