Proteases (also called Proteolytic Enzymes, Peptidases, or Proteinases) are enzymes that hydrolyze the amide bonds within proteins or peptides. Most proteases act in a specific manner, hydrolyzing bonds at, or adjacent to specific residues, or a specific sequence of residues contained within the substrate protein or peptide. Proteases play an important role in most diseases and biological processes, including prenatal and postnatal development, reproduction, signal transduction, the immune response, various autoimmune and degenerative diseases, and cancer. They are also an important research tool, frequently used in the analysis and production of proteins. Arg-C specifically cleaves at the carboxyl side of Arginine residues. Arg-C has a sulfhydryl requirement; it is activated by dithiothreitol, cysteine, or other sulfhydryl-containing reagents. The presence of calcium ions is essential. The enzyme is inhibited by oxidizing agents and sulfhydryl reactants, and by Co2+, Cu2+, Cd2+, and heavy metal ions.