Description
Metalloproteinase inhibitor 4 binds to metalloproteinases, like collagenases, and irreversibly inactivates them by targeting their catalytic zinc cofactor. In rabbits, the TIMP4 gene encodes this inhibitor, and it is part of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases gene family. Although there is no direct evidence for a specific function of TIMP4 in rabbits, based on its known function in humans and other mammals, it can be hypothesized that TIMP4 in rabbits may also be involved in homeostatic maintenance of the ECM, extracellular matrix remodeling, and possible disease-related processes