[Collagenase activity in an animal and a human carcinoma (author's transl)].

High amounts of collagenase were found in chemically-induced carcinomas of the mouse skin and in carcinomas of the human urinary bladder. Part of the total enzyme activity was detected in the supernatant after sedimentation of the tumour homogenate at 6000 x g and dialysis for 48 hours. The remainder was extracted from the pellet by the use of 5 M urea. Though the localization of enzyme production and regulation of enzyme activity is still unclear, the collagenases may be implicated in the breakdown of collagen structures during tumour invasion.