How to number a set of row labels, then apply those numerical labels to a set of the same row labels that are in a different order?

For example: matrix01 = abc123,GGAAFFVV;abc328,FFAATTRREEDD;abc9354,LSPSDKSDDD numerical_index_matrix01 = 1,GGAAFFVV;2,FFAATTRREEDD;3,LSPSDKSDDD

matrix02 = abc328,FFAATTRREEDD;abc123,GGAAFFVV;abc9354,LSPSDKSDDD numerical_index_matrix02 = 2,FFAATTRREEDD;1,GGAAFFVV;3,LSPSDKSDDD

So the order of these labels and their sequences is getting mixed up by external software, and I want to be able to use the initial numerical index scheme to index the new order, while reflecting the new order. Starts as a;b;c;d;e. Indexed as 1,a;2,b;3,c;4,d;5,e. Comes back as c;a;e;d;b and I want to get this result: 3,c;1,a;5,e;4,d;2,b.

This has my head spinning, any suggestions are appreciated.

[Jan]

What type is "c;a;e;d;b"? Are these cell strings or is this an abstract descritpion of a numerical vector? It would be helpful if you use proper Matlab syntax.

[Adam Quintero]

Sorry. The letters are each a character string within a cell. The format for this example is a 5x2 cell matrix, with the header info in the first column and the corresponding character string in the second column.

I want to index a set of character strings with integers replacing the original header info. Next, I have a new 5x2 matrix of cells with the same headers, but in a different order. I want to now replace the headers in the first column in the new 5x2 matrix with the corresponding integers from the previous index, showing the change in numerical order between the two.

Hopefully this is more clear.