A latent collagenase from embryonic human skin explants.

Collagenase released from embryonic and adult human skin explants has been studied with special reference to the latency of the enzyme. 1) Embryonic human skin explants showed a much higher capacity for collagenase production than did adult skin, on the basis of unit weight of tissue. 2) Culture medium from embryonic skin explants contained latent collagenase at almost twice the concentration of the active form. No appreciable amount of latent enzyme was observed in the adult skin system. 3) The molecular weights of active and latent collagenases were about 40,000 and 50,000, respectively. 4) The latent collagenase was found to be activated by simple passage through a Sephadex G-50 column after adding NaI to a final concentration of 3 M. The degree of activation produced by this treatment was as high as that by limited proteolysis with trypsin. It was concluded that no activating enzyme system was involved in the activation of latent collagenase during NaI treatment, and that the latent enzyme was composed of an enzyme-inhibitor complex. 5) The physiological significance of latent enzyme in the regulation of collagenase activity in vivo is discussed.