Extrinsic regulators of epithelial tumor progression: metalloproteinases

Extracellular metal-dependent proteinases regulate cell behavior by remodel ing 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 sig naling has been underscored by evidence that altered regulation of cell-ext racellular matrix and cell-cell interactions by proteinases can contribute, in a causal manner, to neoplastic progression.