noun
- Any of a group of enzymes found in cells that break down proteins, especially during cell digestion and tissue remodeling.
Usage: technical; biochemistry
Examples
- Cathepsins play a crucial role in autophagy, the process by which cells digest their own components.
- Different types of cathepsins are found in lysosomes throughout the body.
- Researchers study cathepsin activity to understand how cells break down damaged proteins.
- Cathepsin B is one of the most abundant proteases in mammalian cells.
- Abnormal cathepsin levels have been linked to certain diseases and cancer progression.