Cover -- Contents -- Foreword -- I.A Brief Overview -- Chapter 1. The Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Inhibitors Madeleine M. Handsley, Janet Cross, Jelena Gavrilovic, and Dylan R. Edwards -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The MMP Family -- 3. Regulation of MMP Activity -- 4. Endogenous Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases -- 5. Novel Roles for MMPs -- 6. ECM Targets in the CNS -- 7. Generation of Matricryptic Sites in ECM Components -- 8. Growth Factor Liberation from ECM 8220;Stores -- 9. Chemokine Gradient Generation -- 10. Blood-Brain Barrier Substrates for MMPs -- 11. Conclusion -- References -- II. Regulation of MMP Expression -- Chapter 2. Genetic Regulation of the Matrix Metalloproteinases and Related Proteins Tammie Roy and Elizabeth A. Milward -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Stimuli Triggering Alterations in MMP Gene Expression -- 3. Alterations in Other MMPs -- 4. Neurotransmitters -- 5. Cell-Cell and Cell-Matrix Interactions -- 6. Physical and Biochemical Stress -- 7. Suppressive Factors -- 8. Feedback Control -- 9. Signalling Cascades Involved in Regulating MMP Gene Expression -- 10. Genetic Elements Regulating MMP Gene Expression -- 11. Regulation of the MMP-2, MMP-11 and MMP-14 (MT1-MMP) Genes -- 12. Regulation of ADAMs Family Gene Expression -- 13. Regulation of TIMP Gene Expression -- 14. Inverse Regulation of MMPs and TIMPs -- 15. Regulation of TIMPs Independent of MMP Inhibitory Functions -- 16. Post-Transcriptional Regulation of MMP Expression -- 17. Regulation of MMP Gene Expression in the Healthy Nervous System -- 18. Neuronal Expression -- 19. Astrocyte Expression -- 20. Microglial Expression -- 21. Endothelial and Other Cells -- 22. Oligodendrocyte and Schwann Cell Expression -- 23. Expression of TIMPs in the Nervous System -- 24. Expression in Nervous System Development and Plasticity -- 25. MMP Gene Regulation in Nervous System Injury and Disease -- 26. Regulation in Nervous System Malignancies -- 27. Regulation in Nervous System Injury -- 28. Genetic Polymorphisms and MMP Expression -- 29. Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 3. Post-Translational Modification Zezong Gu, Marcus Kaul, and Stuart A. Lipton -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Cysteine Switch Mechanism -- 3. Modification of MMPs by S-Nitrosylation -- 4. S-Nitrosylation Leads to MMP-9 Activation In Vitro -- 5. NO-Induced Subsequent Oxidation -- 6. Peptide Mass Fingerprinting Analysis of Cysteine Residue Post-Translational Modifications -- 7. Structural Model of S-Nitrosylation of MMPs -- 8. MMPs in Neurological Diseases -- 9. Neuronal NOS-Associated Activation of MMP During Stroke -- 10. Exogenous NO-Activated MMP-9 Induces Neuronal Apoptosis in Cerebrocortical Cultures -- 11. MMPs Degrade Extracellular Matrix Components -- 12. Summary -- Acknowledgments -- References -- III. MMP Function -- Chapter 4. Substrates for Metalloendopeptidases in the Central Nervous System Paul E. Gottschall, John D. Sandy, and Dieter R. Zimmermann -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Substrates in the Basal Lamina (Basement Membrane) -- 3. Collagen Type IV -- 4. Laminins -- 5. Perlecan and Other Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans (HSPG) -- 6. Entactins (Nidogens) -- 7. Substrates in the Neuropil and Perineuronal Nets -- 8. Proteoglycans -- 9. Hyalectans (Lecticans, Aggregating PGs) -- 10. Expression, Localisation and Molecular/Cellular Interactions -- 11. Proteolytic Pr.