This gene encodes a member of the matrix metalloproteinase family of extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes that are involved in tissue remodeling, wound repair, progression of atherosclerosis and tumor invasion. The encoded protein contains an N-terminal cysteine array and a novel immunoglobulin-fold domain at the C-terminus. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms that may undergo similar processing. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2016]