<p>Granins (chromogranins or secretogranins) [<cite idref="PUB00005374"/>] are a family of acidic proteins present in the secretory granules of a wide variety of endocrine and neuro-endocrine cells. The exact function(s) of these proteins is not yet known but they seem to be the precursors of biologically active peptides and/or they may act as helper proteins in the packaging of peptide hormones and neuropeptides. Apart from their subcellular location and the abundance of acidic residues (Asp and Glu), these proteins do not share many structural similarities. Only one short region, located in the C-terminal section, is conserved in all these proteins.</p><p>Chromogranins and secretogranins together share a C-terminal motif, whereas chromogranins A and B share a region of high similarity in their N-terminal section; this region includes two cysteine residues involved in a disulphide bond.</p>