Acts upon elastin. Hydrolysis of proteins, including elastin. Preferential cleavage: Ala-|-Xaa. Binds 1 Ca(2+) ion per subunit. Basal layers of epidermis (at protein level). Not expressed in the pancreas. Belongs to the peptidase S1 family. Elastase subfamily. In spite of its original name 'Pancreatic elastase 1', CELA1 is not detected in the pancreas. Elastase activity described in the pancreas may be in fact due to CELA2A (PubMed:10620133). Elastase entry