Alexa Fluor® 647 Anti-Cathepsin L/V/K/H antibody [EPR8011]

Supplementary info

This supplementary information is collated from multiple sources and compiled automatically.

Activity summary

Cathepsins L V K and H are essential cysteine proteases that serve important functions in protein catabolism. These proteases participate in proteolytic processes by digesting proteins into shorter peptides and amino acids. Cathepsin L also known as CTSL typically has a molecular mass of about 25-35 kDa and is expressed in various tissues such as the liver spleen and placenta. Cathepsin K plays a similar role in bone resorption and is highly expressed in osteoclasts. Cathepsin V and Cathepsin H meanwhile have distinct tissue distributions with cathepsin V often found in the thymus and testis whereas cathepsin H's expression spans across different cell types contributing a vast array of biological functions.

Biological function summary

Cathepsins regulate cellular homeostasis and modulate various physiological processes. These proteases perform their functions within the lysosomal compartment although they can also participate in extracellular matrix remodeling and other non-lysosomal roles. Cathepsin K for example is part of the cathepsin protein family and aids in degrading collagen therefore playing a pivotal role in bone turnover and resorption. Cathepsins can act independently or in some cases are part of larger enzyme complexes enhancing their proteolytic activity to handle different substrates driven by the physiological demand.

Pathways

Cathepsins key in the lysosomal degradation pathway and influence other signaling cascades like the apoptotic pathway. The regulation of these pathways often involves interactions with other proteins such as pro-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family facilitating cell death under certain conditions. Cathepsin L contributes to the antigen processing pathway linking it to the immune response. Cathepsin K on the other hand acts closely with structural proteins like collagen in the bone metabolism pathway highlighting its significance in skeletal development and maintenance.

Associated diseases and disorders

Altered cathepsin activity closely associates with conditions like osteoporosis and cancer. Cathepsin K upregulation can lead to excessive bone degradation seen in osteoporosis while aberrant cathepsin L expression relates to cancer progression and metastasis due to its role in degrading extracellular matrix components facilitating tumor invasion. In osteoporosis interactions with matrix metalloproteinases further enhance bone matrix breakdown exacerbating disease symptoms. In cancer the relationship between cathepsin L and the urokinase-type plasminogen activator system highlights its role in promoting malignancy and suggests potential therapeutic targets.