Roles and Regulatory Mechanisms of Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in vivo

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RECK, first isolated as a transformation suppressor gene, encodes a membrane-anchored glycoprotein essential for mouse embryogenesis and down-regulated in various type of human cancer. Our studies at the molecular, cellular, and whole animal levels revealed that RECK forms cowbell-shaped dimer, regulates a wide spectrum of extracellular metalloproteases, and protects cell surface molecules as well as extracellular matrix components. We also found that RECK expression is under dynamic regulations by various external stimuli, including growth factors, cell density, and oxygen concentration.