Matrix metalloproteinases.

Matrix metalloproteinases are a class of enzymes that play an important role in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix in development and cancer metastasis. This unit describes a set of methods-cell-mediated dissolution of type I collagen fibrils, direct and reverse zymography, enzyme capture based on a-2 macroglubulin and TIMP-1 and -2, and demonstration of crytic thiol groups in metalloproteinase precursors-that are used to characterize the functions of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors.