Matrix Metalloprotease 10 (MMP-10)
Definition
An endopeptidase of the MMP family involved in extracellular matrix remodelling during endometrial breakdown and shedding. Significantly elevated in menstrual blood and proposed as a specific protein marker for differentiation from peripheral blood.
- Family
- Matrix metalloprotease (MMP) family
- Biological role
- Extracellular matrix remodelling
- Context
- Endometrial breakdown and shedding
- Forensic use
- Marker distinguishing menstrual from peripheral blood
Common questions
Why is an enzyme involved in tissue remodelling useful as a blood-source marker?+
MMP-10 is significantly elevated specifically during the endometrial shedding process, so its presence in a bloodstain points to a menstrual origin rather than general venous or arterial bleeding, which lack this elevation.
Is MMP-10 detection alone sufficient to confirm menstrual blood in casework?+
It is typically used alongside other markers or immunological tests as part of a body-fluid identification panel, since relying on a single protein marker increases the risk of a false conclusion from cross-reactivity or degradation.
Related terms
- D-Dimer
- A fibrin degradation product generated when cross-linked fibrin is cleaved by plasmin. Elevated D-dimer in menstrual blood reflects the active fibrinolytic process;...
- Endometrial Shedding
- The physiological process by which the functional layer of the uterine endometrium is broken down and expelled during menstruation. The shedding process...
- Fibrinolysis
- The enzymatic breakdown of fibrin by plasmin, which is generated from plasminogen by tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Menstrual blood has high tPA...
- mRNA Profiling
- Detection of messenger RNA transcripts specific to particular tissues or body fluids. Endometrial-specific transcripts (LEFTY2, MMP-10 mRNA, others) can distinguish menstrual blood...
- Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA)
- A serine protease secreted by endometrial cells and vascular endothelium that converts plasminogen to plasmin. Elevated in menstrual blood relative to peripheral...