Summary
Human plasma contains a fast-acting t-PA inhibitor, which is not identical with α2-antiplasmin or α2-macroglobulin. The concentration of this inhibitor in normal plasma is highly variable,
much lower than that of known plasma protease inhibitors, and in the range of physiologically
occurring plasma concentrations of t- PA (0-2 IU/ml).
The inhibitor binds to concanavalin A-Sepharose, is rather stable when heated, is
not precipitated in euglobulin fractions and probably does not originate from platelets.
The inhibitor seems to form a 190 Kd complex with t-PA. The relation between this
plasma inhibitor and the recently discovered endothelial cell inhibitor is not yet
clear.
Keywords
Plasminogen activation - Specific inhibitor - Tissue-type activator - Plasma