biostudies-literatureSabeh FBreast Cancer Research FoundationNIBIB NIH HHSNIDDK NIH HHSNHLBI NIH HHSMargolies Family Discovery Fund for Cancer ResearchNCI NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNIH HHSe202312091https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11244150biostudies-literatureUnknown223(9)Dermal fibroblasts deposit type I collagen, the dominant extracellular matrix molecule found in skin, during early postnatal development. Coincident with this biosynthetic program, fibroblasts proteolytically remodel pericellular collagen fibrils by mobilizing the membrane-anchored matrix metalloproteinase, Mmp14. Unexpectedly, dermal fibroblasts in Mmp14-/- mice commit to a large-scale apoptotic program that leaves skin tissues replete with dying cells. A requirement for Mmp14 in dermal fibroblast survival is recapitulated in vitro when cells are embedded within, but not cultured atop, three-dimensional hydrogels of crosslinked type I collagen. In the absence of Mmp14-dependent pericellular proteolysis, dermal fibroblasts fail to trigger β1 integrin activation and instead actuate a TGF-β1The Journal of cell biologyMmp14-dependent remodeling of the pericellular-dermal collagen interface governs fibroblast survival.PMC11244150R01 HL085339P30 DK020572P41-EB015890R01 CA071699R01-CA-071699-16-A1T32 CA009676RO1-HL085339P41 EB015890Gimenez LESabeh FKurup ABotvinick EOlson AWLi XYWeiss SJCho JSfalseMmp14-dependent remodeling of the pericellular-dermal collagen interface governs fibroblast survival.Dermal fibroblasts deposit type I collagen, the dominant extracellular matrix molecule found in skin, during early postnatal development. Coincident with this biosynthetic program, fibroblasts proteolytically remodel pericellular collagen fibrils by mobilizing the membrane-anchored matrix metalloproteinase, Mmp14. Unexpectedly, dermal fibroblasts in Mmp14-/- mice commit to a large-scale apoptotic program that leaves skin tissues replete with dying cells. A requirement for Mmp14 in dermal fibroblast survival is recapitulated in vitro when cells are embedded within, but not cultured atop, three-dimensional hydrogels of crosslinked type I collagen. In the absence of Mmp14-dependent pericellular proteolysis, dermal fibroblasts fail to trigger β1 integrin activation and instead actuate a TGF-β12024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Sep2026-05-02T14:28:19.655Z2026-04-07T18:06:07.844ZS-EPMC112441503899071410.1083/jcb.202312091