内源性金属蛋白酶组织抑制剂(tissue inhibitor of metallo- proteinase,TIMPs)为基质金属蛋白酶(matrix metalloprotease,MMP)特异性抑制剂,属半胱氨酸蛋白酶超家族,存在于果蝇、秀丽隐杆线虫、人等多种真核生物中,机体缺乏TIMP会引起胚胎发育异常。TIMPs N端功能区半胱氨酸残基与MMPs的锌离子活性中心结合,C端功能区与MMPs的其他部位结合,以1:1的比例非共价键结合形成MMP-TIMP复合体, Tissue inhibitor of metallo-proteinase (TIMPs) is a specific inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), which belongs to the cysteine ​​protease superfamily and exists in Drosophila melanogaster, Nematodes, humans and other eukaryotes, the lack of TIMP body will cause abnormal embryonic development. The cysteine ​​residues in the N-terminal functional domain of TIMPs bind to the zinc ion active site of MMPs, and the C-terminal functional domain binds to other sites of MMPs, forming a MMP-TIMP complex by non-covalent bonding in a ratio of 1: 1.