Plasminogen: an enigmatic zymogen

Abstract

Plasminogen is an abundant plasma protein that exists in various zymogenic forms. Plasmin, the proteolytically active form of plasminogen, is known for its essential role in fibrinolysis. The therapeutic targeting of the fibrinolytic system to date has been for two purposes: to promote plasmin generation for thromboembolic conditions, or to stop plasmin to reduce bleeding. However, both plasmin and plasminogen serve other important functions, some of which are unrelated to fibrin removal. Indeed, for over 40 y…