Background of the antigen
Kallistatin is a serine proteinase inhibitor which binds to tissue kallikrein and inhibits its amidolytic and kininogenase activity. Inhibition is achieved by formation of an equimolar, heat- and SDS-stable complex between the inhibitor and the enzyme, and generation of a small C-terminal fragment of the inhibitor due to cleavage at the reactive site by tissue kallikrein. Heparin blocks kallistatin's complex formation with tissue kallikrein and abolishes its inhibitory effect on tissue kallikrein's activity.
