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-1 collagen fibrils, direct and reverse zymography, enzyme capture based on alpha2-macroglobulin and TIMP-1 and -2, and demonstration of cryptic thiol groups in metalloproteinase precursors--that are used to characterize the functions of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors.