“…These MMPs are generated by a wide variety of cells such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells, osteoblasts, macrophages, lymphocytes, and neutrophils. Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), also termed stromelysin-1, has been reported to play a role in the organization of dermal wound healing [Bullard et al, 1999] and myocardial wound healing [Mukherjee et al, 2005], as well as the degradation of collagens (types III, IV, V, and IX), gelatin, aggrecan, versican, perlecan, decorin, proteoglycan, fibronectin, laminin, and osteonectin [Chakraborti et al, 2003]. In fact, MMP-3 degrades perlecan in human umbilical arterial endothelial-cell basement membranes to release basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) [Whitelock et al, 1996].…”