noun
- An inactive protein in blood plasma that is converted to plasmin, an enzyme that breaks down blood clots.
Usage: medical/biochemistry term; used in clinical and research contexts
Examples
- Plasminogen is essential for the body's natural process of dissolving blood clots.
- The drug activates plasminogen to help restore blood flow in patients with thrombosis.
- Tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, converts plasminogen into its active form.
- Low levels of plasminogen can increase the risk of abnormal clot formation.
- Researchers studied how plasminogen deficiency affects wound healing.