Serine protease that cleaves extracellular substrates, and contributes to the proteolytic processing of growth factors, such as HGF and MST1/HGFL (PubMed:21875933, PubMed:15839837). Plays a role in cell growth and maintenance of cell morphology (PubMed:8346233, PubMed:21875933). Plays a role in the proteolytic processing of ACE2 (PubMed:24227843). Mediates the proteolytic cleavage of urinary UMOD that is required for UMOD polymerization (PubMed:26673890). Cleavage after basic amino-acid residues, with Arg strongly preferred to Lys. Detected in liver and kidney. Belongs to the peptidase S1 family.