Abstract
A review of continuing studies on the physiological and pathological roles of the lysosomal proteinases, cathepsin D and cathepsin B is presented. Intracellular release of cathepsin D from lysosomes has been demonstrated during myocardial ischemia. Both this proteinase and cathepsin B have been found, by organ culture in the presence of the appropriate antiserum, to be released into the extracellular space in rheumatoid synovium, where they may play a part in cartilage destruction. Also reviewed is the finding of a cathepsin B-like proteinase that, in organ culture, is secreted in markedly increased amounts from human malignant breast carcinomas in comparison to amounts secreted from benign tumors or normal tissue.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: