Biologic role of the plasminogen-plasmin system: thrombolysis, bleeding, and beyond.

a role for the canonical plasminogen receptor, annexin A2, in diseases,s followed by a molecular view of the uPA receptor (uPAR) by Ferraris and Sidenius.6 Another member of the P-P system that has a versatile role in biology and the pathogenesis of many diseases is PAI-1 and its implication on various processes is expanding almost on a daily basis. A series of reviews on this emerging important therapeutic target follow An update o[our understanding of this molecule is given by Declerck and Gils.7 This is followed by a description of the more recently discovered inhibitor of plasmin and plasminogen activator, the thrombin activatable fibrinolytic inhibitor, which is discussed by Vercauteren et al.8 As PAI-1 is now recognized to be of the key factors in pulmonary flbrosis, and so an account o[this is provided by Tucker and ldell.e Much recent work has been devoted to determine the importance of the P-P system in cancer. uPA, uPAR, and PAIt have all been implicated in tumor progression, and expression of these various components is associated with poor prognosis in various cancer types. In particular, the uPAR is a key member in the complex interactions of this system that drive tumor progression. This is reviewed by I(waan et a1.10 The role of the P-P system is also emerging in various other