Bovine trabecular cells in growth phase were exposed to cyclic mechanical stretching of the bottom of a culture dish at a cycle of 30 seconds for 72 hours. The stretched cells produced significantly larger amounts of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) after 72 hours, compared with cells in nonstretched control. In contrast, TIMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were not influenced by mechanical stretching. Trabecular cells would modify extracellular matrix in response to such mechanical stimuli as bending of trabecular meshwork or aqueous flow by the production of TIMP-1 and MMP-2.