Publisher's Synopsis
Proteases are involved in various physiological regulatory mechanisms as well as in diverse pathological processes. Well understood examples are the blood clotting and complement pathways and the fibrinolytic system. Considerable interest has recently been focused on the involvement of proteases in tumour progression and viral infections. The importance of both the proteases and their inhibitors in human physiology and pathology are increasingly being recognized. This volume presents the latest findings in the field. Chapters are included on cell biological functions of membrane-bound proteases, the relationship between limited proteolysis and the processing of biologically active proteins, and tertiary structures of proteases and their protein inhibitors.
