Adenoviral expression of a urokinase receptor - Targeted protease inhibitor inhibits neointima formation in murine and human blood vessels

Background - Smooth muscle cell migration, in addition to proliferation, contributes to a large extent to the neointima formed in humans after balloon angioplasty or bypass surgery. Plasminogen activator/plasmin-mediated proteolysis is an important mediator of this smooth muscle cell migration. Here, we report the construction of a novel hybrid...

High fibrinolytic activity in the endothelium of the arteries of the rat

The arteries of the rat usually possess considerably higher endothelium-related fibrinolytic activity than corresponding veins. This finding contrasts observations in most other species, including man. The use of the rat in experimental work on thrombotic vascular disease should be evaluated with due regard to the specific properties of the...