Timeline of key events in snake venom metalloproteinase research.

It is reasonable to state that snake venom toxinology has been actively pursued for at least the past 400 to 500 years. Early on it was appreciated that the venoms of the Viperidae produced profound local effects, notably hemorrhage. For the past 100 years, with the advent of modern chemistry and biochemistry significant progress has been gained regarding the function, structure and role of the snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) in viperid venom pathogenesis. In this review we provide a concise, chronological presentation of the key significant studies that have led to our current understanding of these intriguing toxins.