CST7
Cystatin F
Also known as: CST7, cystatin F, LEUKOCYSTATIN
Biology & Mechanism
CST7 encodes cystatin F, a cysteine protease inhibitor that is a prominent marker of disease-associated microglia (DAM). CST7 expression is strongly upregulated in microglia surrounding amyloid plaques and in other microglial activation contexts. As an inhibitor of lysosomal cysteine proteases such as cathepsins, CST7 may regulate lysosomal degradation capacity in disease states. Its strong DAM-specific expression makes it a useful marker for isolating and characterizing disease-state microglia.
Open Questions
- —What is the functional consequence of CST7 upregulation on lysosomal degradation in disease-associated microglia?
- —Does CST7 represent a regulatory checkpoint for microglial phagocytic capacity?
- —Can CST7 serve as a robust biomarker or imaging target for disease-associated microglial states in vivo?
Sources
- Disease-associated microglia: a universal response to neurological insults (2017)
Last reviewed: June 1, 2026