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Thromb Haemost 2005; 93(04): 627-630
DOI: 10.1160/TH04-11-0724
Theme Issue Article
Schattauer GmbH

Thrombolytic agents

Désiré Collen
1   Center for Molecular and Vascular Biology, KU Leuven, Belgium
,
Roger H. Lijnen
1   Center for Molecular and Vascular Biology, KU Leuven, Belgium
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 08 November 2004

Accepted 16 March 2004

Publication Date:
14 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

Thrombolytic agents are plasminogen activators that convert the zymogen plasminogen to the active enzyme plasmin, which degrades fibrin. Elucidation of the molecular mechanism of physiological fibrinolysis opened up a new era of fibrin-specific thrombolysis. Fibrin-specific plasminogen activators, including tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) and staphylokinase (Sak), preferentially activate fibrin-associated plasminogen. Generated plasmin remains associated with fibrin, where it is protected from rapid inhibition and can efficiently degrade fibrin, avoiding systemic activation of the fibrinolytic system. Following a decade of clinical investigation t-PA and variants thereof are routinely used for treatment of patients with thromboembolic disease.

Keywords

Thrombolysis - plasminogen activator - thromboembolic disease
 

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