title: Nonfibrinolytic functions of plasminogen.
abstract: Although the roles of plasminogen and plasmin in mediating blood clot dissolution are well known, the availability of mice deficient for components of the fibrinolytic system has allowed direct approaches to be made toward elucidating the role of these proteins in other diverse physiological and pathophysiological processes. A number of these studies have identified plasminogen as playing an important role in inflammation and other cell migratory processes. With the identification of receptors for plasminogen on a number of pathogens, and the ability to activate plasminogen through either endogenous production of plasminogen activators or utilization of host activators, mice deficient for components of the fibrinolytic system offer a unique approach toward further elucidating the importance of this system in pathogen infection and dissemination.
authors.affiliation: W. M. Keck Center for Transgene Research and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA. victoria.a.ploplis.3@nd.edu
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Ploplis
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Castellino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D002678:Chimera; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D007249:Inflammation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D008288:Malaria / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D010958:Plasminogen