“Splitting the matrix”: intussusceptive angiogenesis meets MT 1‐ MMP

Pathological angiogenesis contributes to tumour progression as well as to chronic inflammatory diseases. In this issue of EMBO Molecular Medicine, Esteban and co-workers identify endothelial cell MT1-MMP as a key regulator of intussusceptive angiogenesis (IA) in inflammatory colitis. Thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) cleavage by MT1-MMP results in the binding of the c-terminal fragment of TSP1 to αvβ3 integrin, which induces nitric oxide (NO) production,...