CST5, also known as Cystatin-D, is a novel member of the cystatin superfamily. The cystatin superfamily encompasses proteins that contain multiple cystatin-like sequences. Some of the members are active cysteine protease inhibitors, while others have lost or perhaps never acquired this inhibitory activity. There are three inhibitory families in the superfamily, including the type 1 cystatins (stefins), type 2 cystatins and the kininogens. The type 2 cystatin proteins are a class of cysteine proteinase inhibitors found in a variety of human fluids and secretions. Two alleles of the cystatin D gene (CST5), encoding protein variants with either Cys or Arg as residue 26 in their 122-residue polypeptide chains, are present in the population. Recombinant human CST5, fused to His-tag at C-terminus, was expressed in insect cell and purified by using conventional chromatography techniques.