Extrinsic regulators of epithelial tumor progression: metalloproteinases

Extracellular metal-dependent proteinases regulate cell behavior by remodeling stromal and cell surface proteins, thereby influencing cell recruitment, cell shape, motility, proliferation, survival, genomic (in)stability, and differentiation. In recent years, the importance of proteinase-induced signaling has been underscored by evidence that altered regulation of cell-extracellular matrix and cell-cell interactions by proteinases can contribute, in a causal manner, to neoplastic progression.