Matrix metalloproteinases in development and disease.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are key modulators of many biological processes during pathophysiological events, such as skeletal formation, angiogenesis, cellular migration, inflammation, wound healing, coagulation, lung and cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, and cancer. Twenty-four members of the MMP family have been identified in humans, degrading many components of the extracellular matrix, cellular receptors, and cytokines. This review describes the molecular structure, activation and inhibition, and substrate specificity of MMPs, and their biological function in development and disease. Copyright 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.