Alpha secretase is a type of protease enzyme that plays a critical role in the proteolytic processing of certain membrane proteins. It is notably involved in the processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), a protein associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. By cleaving APP within its amyloid-beta domain, alpha secretase prevents the formation of amyloid-beta peptides, which are implicated in Alzheimer's disease.
