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| AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
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| Formula | C1376H2145N383O406S18 |
| Molar mass | 31126.65 g·mol−1 |
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Urokinase, also known as urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), is a serine protease present in humans and other animals. The human urokinase protein was discovered, but not named, by McFarlane and Pilling in 1947.[5] Urokinase was originally isolated from human urine, and it is also present in the blood and in the extracellular matrix of many tissues. The primary physiological substrate of this enzyme is plasminogen, which is an inactive form (zymogen) of the serine protease plasmin. Activation of plasmin triggers a proteolytic cascade that, depending on the physiological environment, participates in thrombolysis or extracellular matrix degradation. This cascade had been involved in vascular diseases and cancer progression.[6]
Urokinase is encoded in humans by the PLAU gene, which stands for "plasminogen activator, urokinase".[7] The same symbol represents the gene in other animal species.
- ^ a b c GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000122861 – Ensembl, May 2017
- ^ a b c GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000021822 – Ensembl, May 2017
- ^ "Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- ^ "Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- ^ Degryse B (1 June 2011). "The urokinase receptor system as strategic therapeutic target: challenges for the 21st century". Current Pharmaceutical Design. 17 (19): 1872–1873. doi:10.2174/138161211796718161. PMID 21711231.
- ^ Tang L, Han X (March 2013). "The urokinase plasminogen activator system in breast cancer invasion and metastasis". Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 67 (2): 179–182. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2012.10.003. PMID 23201006.
- ^ Nagai M, Hiramatsu R, Kanéda T, Hayasuke N, Arimura H, Nishida M, Suyama T (Dec 1985). "Molecular cloning of cDNA coding for human preprourokinase". Gene. 36 (1–2): 183–188. doi:10.1016/0378-1119(85)90084-8. PMID 2415429.