Indirect evidence suggests a crucial role for the plasminogen/plasmin system, and its physiological triggers, tissue-type plasminogen activator, and urokinase-type plasminogen activator, in several proteolytic processes in blood vessels including blood clot dissolution (thrombolysis), hemostasis, aneurysm formation, neovascularization, restenosis, and atherosclerosis. The implied role of the fibrinolytic system in vivo is, however, deduced from correlations between fibrinolytic activity and (patho)physiological phenomena, which does not allow to establish a cause/consequence relationship. Recently, several transgenic mice, overexpressing or underexpressing fibrinolytic system components, have been generated. This article reviews briefly the physiological consequences of gain or loss of function of these fibrinolytic system components on thrombolysis/thrombosis, hemostasis, neointima formation, atherosclerosis, and associated effects on survival.
Copyright © 1995. Published by Elsevier Inc.