Plasmin (source code)
= Plasmin
<Plasmin> is a <protease> that cuts <fibrin> into soluble products, helping dismantle a <blood clot>. It is produced by proteolytic activation of <plasminogen>, an inactive precursor. Activation of an existing precursor can switch on an enzymatic process without waiting for new <protein> synthesis.<Plasmin EC 3.4.21.7 in IUBMB Enzyme Nomenclature>[Reaction and Comments]{ref}
This supplies a useful contrast within clot biology. <Thrombin> helps form the <fibrin> network; <plasmin> helps remove it. In a simplified experiment, a <fibrin> gel can therefore be formed first and its subsequent breakdown measured after adding active <plasmin>. The observable loss of the network is a consequence of <peptide bond> cleavage, linking a molecular reaction to a macroscopic change in material structure.
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