Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in a wide range of proteolytic events in fetal development and normal tissue remodeling as well as wound healing and inflammation. In the CNS, they have been implicated in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases ranging from multiple sclerosis to Alzheimer disease and are integral to stroke-related cell damage. Although studies implicate increased activity of MMPs in pathogenesis in the CNS, there is also a growing literature to support their participation in events that support recovery processes. Here the authors provide a brief overview of MMPs and their regulation, address their complex roles following traumatic injuries to the adult and developing CNS, and consider their time- and context-dependent signatures that influence both injury and reparative processes.
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