title: Use of the plasminogen activation system by microorganisms.
abstract: The use of host-derived PAS components by invasive bacteria is an increasingly recognized mechanism for acquisition of extracellular proteolytic activity. This overview summarizes the pertinent contributions to this field and is divided into three parts: (1) the PAS, (2) the interaction of bacteria that produce their own plasminogen activators with the host's PAS, and (3) the interaction of bacteria that do not produce their own plasminogen activators but use plasminogen activators supplied by the host. The significance of these mechanisms in relation to the invasive potentials of the various organisms is discussed.
authors.affiliation: State of New York Department of Health, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 11794-8692, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Benach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010958:Plasminogen; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D010960:Plasminogen Activators