The Clearance of Thrombin-antithrombin and Related Serpin-enzyme Complexes from the Circulation: Role of Various Hepatocyte Receptors

Introduction Peptide bond cleavage can herald the end of a protein’s active life, or its transformation from an inactive precursor to an active enzyme. If the newly activated protein is a proteinase, even a highly specific proteinase, then its activity must be regulated in order that unbridled cleavage and damage to the host organism do not ensue. Such regulation for many of the key serine proteinases of the coagulation, …