Serpinb3c
The Serpinb3c gene occupies the third position in the mouse Serpinb3a-d tandem array on chromosome 1, an intracellular serpin cluster related to human SCCA1/SERPINA-like genes. It encodes a signal peptide-free cytoplasmic serpin with the canonical fold of clade B inhibitors, expressed in squamous and mucosal epithelia and inducible by wounding, inflammation, and irritant exposure, where it is thought to neutralize cysteine and chymotrypsin-like proteases released during epithelial stress. Its near-identity with Serpinb3a, b, and d means cluster-level expression analysis often cannot separate individual transcripts. Recombinant Serpinb3c allows gene-specific protease inhibition profiling, antibody generation, and functional complementation studies in Serpinb3-null mouse models.
