Collagenase
Summary
An enzyme that degrades collagen, secreted by various cell types (fibroblasts, immune cells, tumor cells). Implicated in tissue remodeling, wound healing, and pathologic processes like inflammation and cancer invasion.
Detail
Collagenases are matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), zinc-dependent endopeptidases that specifically cleave collagen triple helices. The primary interstitial collagenases (MMP-1, MMP-8, MMP-13) are secreted by fibroblasts, macrophages, and epithelial cells in response to inflammatory cytokines. Collagenase activity is tightly regulated by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and is essential for physiologic processes: wound healing, bone resorption, and vascular remodeling. Dysregulated collagenase activity contributes to pathologic processes: in rheumatoid arthritis, excessive production leads to cartilage and bone erosion; in cancer, tumor-associated cells produce collagenase to degrade basement membrane, facilitating invasion and metastasis.
Sources
- Robbins Basic Pathology
- Pathoma
- Molecular Biology of the Cell
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine
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