Cathepsins

Cathepsins are lysosomal proteases which are designed to function in an acidic milieu. Although the specific roles of each protease are not yet defined, it seems likely that extracellular proteins taken up by a cell and long-lived cellular proteins are degraded in lysosomes, while selective protein turnover related to metabolic regulation occurs in other compartments.

See also: Protein Turnover, Programmed Destruction of Proteins, Calpains, Proteasome

INTERNET LINK: Cathepsin D as a Marker for Breast Cancer