Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. Napsin A 760-4446

Napsin is a pepsin-like aspartic proteinase in the A1 clan of the AA clade of proteinases. There are two closely related napsins, napsin A and napsin B. Napsin A is expressed as a single chain protein with the molecular weight of approximately 38 kD. Immunohistochemical studies revealed high expression levels of napsin A in human lung and kidney but low expression in spleen. Napsin A is expressed in type II pneumocytes and in adenocarcinomas of lung. The high specificity expression of napsin A in adenocarcinomas of lung is useful to distinguish primary lung adenocarcinomas from adenocarcinomas of other organs.