The role of MMP14 is currently the subject of debate, as several studies have confirmed that it is upregulated in IPF patients [76], whereas a recent publication using a conditional mouse model of lung epithelium-specific MMP14 genetic deletion showed that a lack of MMP14 in lung epithelial cells impaired the spontaneous regeneration of the lung and increased the progression of fibrotic lesions when mice were treated with bleomycin. Here, MMP14 is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.