[Calpains: general characteristics and role in various states of the organism].

Calpains are a family of cytoplasmic calcium-dependent proteinases with papain-like activity. They participate in a variety of processes in the body: age changes, functioning of endothelium and pulmonary system, regulation of apoptosis and necrosis, development of various hypometabolic states, arterial hypertension, diabetes and chronic kidney disease, tumor growth. It is concluded that calpains, causing limited proteolysis of substrates, play an important role in a wide range of biological phenomena.