MMP8 and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Gene expression quantification showed that several tissue fibrosis markers, such as collagen type I (col1), collagen type III (col3), α-SMA, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-8 were markedly upregulated in the T2DM rats but were significantly downregulated in the MSC-treated rats (Fig. 3k, l).