Molecular pathways of cell-mediated degradation of fibrillar collagen.

Fibrillar collagens are the most abundant components of the extracellular matrix and provide stability to connective tissues, such as bone, cartilage and skin. An imbalance in collagen turnover inevitably affects the function of these tissues. Therefore, the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the synthesis and degradation of collagen have received increasing attention. This short review attempts to summarize our present understanding of how different pathways of collagen degradation are used by different cell types.