Lysosomal cathepsin B: correlation with metastatic potential.

Although lysosomal enzymes are implicated in the processes of tumor invasion and metastasis, their cellular origin within the tumor is unclear. The activity of the lysosomal proteinase cathepsin B is significantly elevated in a variant of the B16 melanoma with high metastatic potential. The cathepsin B activity is localized to the lysosomes of the tumor cells.