Figure 3

The locations of MT-MMPs. (a) The location of MT-MMPs lends them critical biological roles at the cell surface: they cleave components of the ECM, other MMPs and receptors for growth factors (which leads to shedding of the receptors from the cells). (b) Mobilization of MT-MMPs to the leading edge of cancer cells, where they remodel the ECM, facilitates cell migration and tumor invasion.