Characterization of the Fibrinolytic Components in the Human Prostate

Abstract

1. The normal human prostate contains plasminogen activators of two types as characterized by their heat stability, namely an activator of the stable tissue type and an activator of the labile blood type. There is also present a proactivator which can be activated by streptokinase. No plasmin, lysokinase, or inhibitors against trypsin are present. 2. Saline extract contains both types of activator, one of which could be derived from contaminating blood (the labile type). Residual KSCN extract contains only the stable type. 3. The possible relation between these activators and the bleeding tendency in patients with metastasizing cancer of the prostate, and the increased fibrinolytic activity in blood in patients undergoing surgery for removal of a benign hypertrophied prostate is discussed.