Metalloprotease that plays key roles in regulating the formation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) via processing of various precursor proteins into mature functional enzymes or structural proteins . Thereby participates in several developmental and physiological processes such as cartilage and bone formation, muscle growth and homeostasis, wound healing and tissue repair (, ). Roles in ECM formation include cleavage of the C-terminal propeptides from procollagens such as procollagen I, II and III or the proteolytic activation of the enzyme lysyl oxidase LOX, necessary to formation of covalent cross-links in collagen and elastic fibers (, ). Additional substrates include matricellular thrombospondin-1/THBS1 whose cleavage leads to cell adhesion disruption and TGF-beta activation .
Plays an important role in bone repair by acting as a coactivator of BMP7.
Subcellular locations: Golgi apparatus, Trans-Golgi network, Secreted, Extracellular space, Extracellular matrix, Secreted
Co-localizes with POSTN in the Golgi.
Subcellular locations: Secreted
Ubiquitous.