| Description | Cathepsin D ( and MEROPS identifier A01.009) is an aspartic endopeptidase located in the lysosome of animal cells. It is synthesized as an inactive precursor and activated in the lysosome, either autolytically or by other lysosomal peptidases [ ]. Its optimum pH is ~3.5 []. Quantitative N-terminal proteomics has been used to study the specificity of the enzyme []. Although primarily thought to be involved in lysosomal catabolism of proteins, knockout of the mouse CATD gene is neonatally fatal and associated with numerous defects [, ]. Cathepsin D has been shown to induce apoptosis [, , ]. Procathepsin D is also secreted in some cancers, where it can be activated at the acidic pH of the tumour microenvironment and promote the growth of cancer tissue or metastasis by degradation of extracellular matrix [], or act as a mitogen []. | Name | Cathepsin D |
| Short Name | Cathepsin_D | Type | Family |
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