Neuroserpin is an inhibitory serpin that is expressed predominantly in central nervous system. Although the physiological target of neuroserpin is still unclear, cumulative evidence suggest that it plays an important role in controlling proteolytic degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) during synaptogenesis and the subsequent development of neuronal plasticity. In the adult brain, neuroserpin is secreted from the growth cones of neurons in areas where synaptic changes are associated with learning and memory, i.e. cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. The neuroprotective role of neuroserpin has been demonstrated in transgenic mice lacking neuroserpin expression. The deficiency of neuroserpin in these mice was associated with motor neuron disease characterized by axonal degradation. In humans, defects in neuroserpin, caused by point mutations in the neuroserpin gene, underlie a hereditary disorder called the familial encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies (FENIB).
