Background of the antigen
Puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase is a 100kDa zinc metallopeptidase which degrades neuropeptides by removing amino acid residues from the amino-terminus. The protein is the most abundant aminopeptidase in the brain, however it is not exclusive to that organ. It is localized primarily in the cytoplasm, and plays a role in the metabolism of neuropeptides in nerve terminals and synaptic clefts. The human PSA gene maps to chromosome 17q 2-32.