What is ACE2 Enzyme?

Why in News?

• Researchers have created thin, thread-like strands of molecules called supramolecular filaments capable of blocking the virus in its tracks.
• The key to this approach is the way that the filaments carry a receptor called angiotensin converting enzyme-2, or ACE2.
• ACE2 provides the entry point for the coronavirus to hook into and infect a wide range of human cells. 
• The team's newly developed filament, called fACE2, serves as a decoy binding site for the virus, with each filament offering several receptors for the COVID-19 spike protein to attach to, and silences ACE2's biological functions to avoid potential side effects

What is ACE2:

• It is a protein on the surface of many cell types and tissues including the lungs, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract.
• It is an enzyme that generates small proteins – by cutting up the larger protein angiotensinogen – that then go on to regulate functions in the cell.
• ACE2 is present in all people but the quantity can vary among individuals and in different tissues and cells.
• It is present in epithelial cells, which line certain tissues and create protective barriers.
• ACE2 is a vital element in a biochemical pathway that is critical to regulating processes such as blood pressure, wound healing and inflammation, called the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) pathway.
• ACE2 helps modulate the many activities of a protein called angiotensin II (ANG II) that increases blood pressure and inflammation, increasing damage to blood vessel linings and various types of tissue injury.

 

---

Q1) What are epithelial cells?

They are a type of cell that covers the inside and outside of the surfaces of your body. They are found on your skin, blood vessels, and organs, including your urinary tract.

Source: Novel spray that could prevent COVID-19 infection developed