title: Stromal collagenase in melanoma: a vascular connection.
abstract: In this issue, Zigrino et al. report on the role of host-derived mouse collagenase-3 (matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13) in melanoma growth and metastasis using a mouse model that lacks MMP-13. The authors demonstrate that vascularization of cutaneous melanomas in these mice is impaired compared with that of controls. This study emphasizes the importance of stromal murine MMP-13, a functional homologue of human MMP-1, in tumor progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Veli-Matti
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Kähäri
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ala-Aho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D051379:Mice; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13