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DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1687219
Plasminogen Activators in Human Seminal Plasma
Publication History
Publication Date:
18 April 2019 (online)
The presence of fibrinolytic activity in seminal plasma has been known for many years. However, the identity of this activity has not yet been clarified satisfactorily. Recently, by using antisera against urokinase and tissue activator purified from human uterus, we demonstrated that these activators are distinct proteins. In this study both antisera were used to identify the fibrinolytic activity in human seminal plasma. Identification was achieved on fibrin plates by measuring to what extent the fibrinolytic activity of the seminal plasma was quenched by the IgG fraction of the antisera. It appeared that tissue activator antibodies as well as urokinase antibodies partly quenched the activity. A mixture of both antibodies totally quenched the activity. This indicates, that the fibrinolytic activity of seminal plasma should be ascribed to plasminogen activators and that they can be differentiated on account of their immunological relationship with tissue activator or urokinase.
In contrast to the tissue activator related activity, the urokinase related activity of seminal plasma was found to be inhibited by added Cl inhibitor. However, under similar conditions, the activity of a reference urokinase solution could hardly be inhibited by Cl inhibitor. This discrepancy could be explained by the presence in seminal plasma of a precursor of urokinase which cannot be activated in the presence of Cl inhibitor.
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