SERPINB5 Antibody / MASPIN

Maspin/Serpinb5 is structurally a serine protease inhibitor (serpin) that was initially isolated from normal human mammary epithelial cells. Serpins are a family of proteins that inhibit Chymotrypsin-like serine proteinases. Serpins control activated proteinases and several are involved in the regulation of cell death. Serpinb5 is found in the extracellular matrix and at the plasma membrane. Serpinb5 has been shown to act at the cell surface to block cell motility and inhibit invasion of breast and prostate cancer cells. Serpinb5 is present in normal mammary epithelial cells but is absent in many tumor cell lines, yet no major structural alterations of the Serpinb5 gene have been identified in tumor cells. Similarly, Serpinb5 is expressed in normal prostate cells and downregulated or absent in prostate tumor cells.