MMP2 and infection: We previously described that T. cruzi induces disorganization of type I collagen during ex vivo infection of HPE (Duaso et al., 2010), suggesting that the parasite reaches the fetal vessels, destroying the ECM through their proteases such as Cz (Santana et al., 1997; Duaso et al., 2010; Castillo et al., 2012) by inducing the host’s metalloproteinases, MMP-2 and MPP-9 (Castillo et al., 2012).