Summary
The recent availability of human and mouse genome sequences and expressed sequence
tag databases facilitated the identification of a large new family of membrane anchored
serine proteases, the type II transmembrane serine proteases or TTSPs. Analyses of
human inherited disorders and gene targeting studies in mice have revealed that several
members of this new protease family have critical functions in development and health.
Preliminary studies also suggest that aberrant expression of type II transmembrane
serine proteases may be linked to disease progression. The knowledge gathered thus
far of the genetics, physiology, and pathology of this interesting new serine protease
family will be reviewed here in brief.
Keywords
Serine proteases - cell surface proteolysis - transmembrane