This gene encodes a member of a family of proteins that are involved in the breakdown of extracellular matrix in normal physiological processes, such as embryonic development, reproduction, and tissue remodeling, as well as in disease processes, such as arthritis and metastasis. The encoded protein is secreted as an inactive proprotein, which is activated upon cleavage by extracellular proteases. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2013]