The mechanism and regulation of the fibrinolytic system

Tissue-type plasminogen activator catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin, the key event of fibrinolysis. Under physiological conditions the expression of t-PA activity is controlled in such a way that it predominantly acts at the site of fibrin accumulation. This review discusses some key observations of molecular biological studies that have led to insights into the mode of action of t-PA and the function of structural autonomous polypeptide regions («domains») located within the t-PA molecule