Matriptasa 2:: nuevo eslabón en el metabolismo del hierro

the maintenance of iron homeostasis is essential for the normal physiological functioning of the living beings. recently, it was discovered the matriptase 2, a type ii trans-membrane serine protease, also known by english acronyms tmprss6, having an essential function in homeostasis of this mineral. this finding initially derived from the observation that mice deficient of this protein had anemia as consequence of rise of hepcidine levels and the interruption of iron intestinal absorption. the in vitro later analyses showed that 2 matriptase suppress the stimulation way of hepcidine transcription involving to hemojuvelin as a co-receptor. in agreement with the anemia pattern of mutant mice, we founded that pattern from subjects presenting with iron-deficiency anemia and iron-resistant (irida) was created by tmprsst gen mutations involving the elimination of enzymatic proteolytic activity. in present paper are showed the features related to identification and characterization of the 2 matriptase, as well as, its involvement in iron metabolism.