prourokinase

The precursor of an activator of plasminogen, urokinase.

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pro·uro·ki·nase (pro-UK) (pro″u-ro-kiґnās) the single-chain proenzyme cleaved by plasmin to form u-plasminogen activator (urokinase); it is found circulating in plasma and urine. Although it is inactive in plasma, it is slowly activated in the presence of fibrin clots, which it lyses via fibrin-dependent plasminogen activation. It resembles t-plasminogen activator in having both a higher specific thrombolytic activity and better fibrin specificity than does u-plasminogen activator, and it has been used for therapeutic thrombolysis. Called also single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator.