Question: How to protect/unprotect parameters

Sometimes the canvas in the 2d-workspace of a subsystem (or component) is grayed out and the parameters in the parameter pane cannot be changed.

Example from the Model Gallery where the mass cannot be changed

Another example of a CAD geometry where I would like to change color and transparency:  seeshell.msim

How to unprotect the parameters?

I have observed that copy and pasting (Edit2: in a new document) and deleting the original component and copy/paste back into the original document and reconnection of the pasted  component works. Are there shorter ways to unprotect? 

And: How to do the reverse action (i.e. protecting a component)?

(I could not find a "when" and "why" for the protection in the documentation. Maybe I overlooked something)

Edit:

Other reasons why to unprotect are suppressions of components and highlight of multibody ports and axes.

Adding or reformating automatically generated ports (Edit3).