About Hepsin
This gene encodes a type II transmembrane serine protease that may be involved in diverse cellular functions, including blood coagulation and the maintenance of cell morphology. Expression of the encoded protein is associated with the growth and progression of cancers, particularly prostate cancer. The protein is cleaved into a catalytic serine protease chain and a non-catalytic scavenger receptor cysteine-rich chain, which associate via a single disulfide bond. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2013]