Comparison between clearance rates of plasma kallikrein and of plasma kallikrein-α-macroglobulin complexes by the liver

Abstract 1. 1. α-Macroglobulins (α Ms) were isolated from the serum of injured rats through a two-stage method: gel nitration and ultracentrifugation. 2. 2. The clearance rates of rat plasma kallikrein (RPK) and αMs-RPK complexes were compared in an isolated rat liver perfusion system: the αMs-RPK complexes are cleared at a much slower rate (half-life ranging from 24 to > 120min) than does RPK itself (half-life ranging from 13 to 18min).