This gene encodes human lysozyme, whose natural substrate is the bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan (cleaving the beta[1-4]glycosidic linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine). Lysozyme is one of the anti-microbial agents found in human milk, and is also present in spleen, lung, kidney, white blood cells, plasma, saliva, and tears. Missense mutations in LYZ have been identified in heritable renal amyloidosis.