CSTA, Official Symbol CSTAprovided by HGNC Official Full Name cystatin Aprovided by HGNC Primary source HGNC:HGNC:2481 See related Ensembl:ENSG00000121552 MIM:184600; AllianceGenome:HGNC:2481 Gene type protein coding RefSeq status REVIEWED Organism Homo sapiens Lineage Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Haplorrhini; Catarrhini; Hominidae; Homo Also known as AREI; PSS4; STF1; STFA Summary The cystatin superfamily encompasses proteins that contain multiple cystatin-like sequences. Some of the members are active cysteine protease inhibitors, while others have lost or perhaps never acquired this inhibitory activity. There are three inhibitory families in the superfamily, including the type 1 cystatins (stefins), type 2 cystatins, and kininogens. This gene encodes a stefin that functions as a cysteine protease inhibitor, forming tight complexes with papain and the cathepsins B, H, and L. The protein is one of the precursor proteins of cornified cell envelope in keratinocytes and plays a role in epidermal development and maintenance. Stefins have been proposed as prognostic and diagnostic tools for cancer. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008] Expression Biased expression in esophagus (RPKM 1149.9), skin (RPKM 100.5) and 1 other tissue See more Orthologs all