| Definition: |
Binding to a member of the serpin protein family (serine protease inhibitors or classified inhibitor family I4). Serpins are a broadly distributed family of protease inhibitors that use a conformational change to inhibit target enzymes. They are central in controlling many important proteolytic cascades. The majority of serpins inhibit serine proteases, but serpins that inhibit caspases and papain-like cysteine proteases have also been identified. Rarely, serpins perform a non-inhibitory function; for example, several human serpins function as hormone transporters and certain serpins function as molecular chaperones or tumor suppressors. |