The present invention methods and novel compounds for facilitating tissue repair and regeneration when the extracellular matrix is damaged. Specifically, binding of the beta 1 integrin is shown to provide a modulation of its functional activity resulting in up regulation of extracellular matrix anabolism. The invention therefore provides a method and novel compounds which can facilitate tissue regeneration in many systems such as the lung, skin, liver and bone. In particular, the binding of the JB1a antibody to a site of amino acid residues 82 to 87 of the mature beta 1 integrin is shown to be particularly effective in mediating the described tissue repair effect.