Cellular strategies for proteolytic targeting during migration and invasion

Cell migration over or through the extracellular matrix (ECM) is an integra l feature of both physiological and pathological processes. Regulation of t he changing cell-ECM interactions involved can be effected by proteolysis a nd requires strict spatial and temporal targeting of proteinase activity. T he versatile use of different proteinase systems, with a variety of localis ation mechanisms and cleavage targets, is being revealed by a plethora of s tudies using in vitro models. This mini review reflects the status of our k nowledge of strategies for the localisation of proteolytic activity effecte d during cell migration.(C) 2001 Federation of European Biochemical Societi es. Published by Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.