Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases

Also known as:  TIMPs

Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases are a group of endogenous Enzymes.

 TIMPs (sometimes beneficially, sometimes detrimentally) inhibit the activity of Matrix Metalloproteinases (specific TIMPS inhibit specific Matrix Metalloproteinases).

 Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases have 12 identically conserved cysteine residues forming six disulphide bonds which confer marked stability to the molecules.  A two domain structure of three loops each can be delineated, and it has been shown that the N-terminal three loops can fold independently and function as an efficient inhibitor of most matrix metalloproteinases.  The C-terminal loops are involved in initial interactions with the enzyme.