Description
Elastases form a subfamily of serine proteases that hydrolyze many proteins in addition to elastin. Humans have six genes which encode the structurally similar proteins: Elastase 1, 2, 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B. Unlike other elastases, 3B has little elastolytic activity. Like most of the human elastases, 3B is secreted from the pancreas as a zymogen and, like other serine proteases such as trypsin, chymotrypsin and kallikrein; it has a digestive function in the intestine. Elastase 3B preferentially cleaves proteins after alanine residues. It may also function in the intestinal transport and metabolism of cholesterol. Elastases 3A/B have been referred to as Protease E and as Elastase 1, and excretion of this protein in fecal material is frequently used as a measure of pancreatic function in clinical assays