protein_function: This is a trypsin inhibitor, its physiological functionis to prevent the trypsin-catalyzed premature activation ofzymogens within the pancreas.
Serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 1, also called TATI or PSTI, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SPINK1 gene. It is mapped to 5q32. SPINK1 gene contains 4 exons spanning approximately 7.5 kb. It was initially detected in urine of patients with ovarian cancer. This peptide is also produced by the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract where it may protect the mucosal cells from proteolytic breakdown. The SPINK1 gene encodes pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor, which is secreted from pancreatic acinar cells into pancreatic juice. Its physiologic role was thought to be the prevention of trypsin-catalyzed premature activation of zymogens within the pancreas and the pancreatic duct. Mutations in this gene are associated with hereditary pancreatitis and tropical calcific pancreatitis.
