“Basement membrane (BM) extracellular matrices enwrap and structurally support tissues. Whether BMs are uniquely constructed for tissues to undergo repetitive stretching and recoil events is unknown. During C. elegans ovulation, the spermathecal BM stretches ∼1.7-fold and then recoils to its original shape every 20 min to passage hundreds of oocytes. … Together, our study identifies an on-demand FBL-1 delivery system that protects the BM network when it is stretched, thereby allowing repeated rounds of tissue expansion and recovery.”

Find the paper and full list of authors in Developmental Cell.