The plasma proteases, thrombin and plasmin, degrade the proteoglycan of rabbit aorta segments in vitro: an integrated ultrastructural and biochemical study.

The effects of plasmin and thrombin on the proteoglycan component of uninjured and deendothelialized rabbit thoracic aorta were examined in vitro. Aortas labelled with 35S in vivo, were exposed to each protease and the 35S-products released from the vessel were analysed. Aortas exposed to the same enzymes were examined by transmission electron microscopy of ruthenium red-stained sections, and the proteoglycan content evaluated by morphometric …