ROLE OF PROTEINASE ANTIPROTEINASE INHIBITOR DISEQUILIBRIUM IN THE BIOINCOMPATIBILITY INDUCED BY ARTIFICIAL SURFACES

As one aspect of bioincompatibility, the importance of activation of p roteolytic systems as a result of an imbalance between protease and an tiprotease activity has been increasingly recognized. This principle i s illustrated by selected studies in our laboratory. These concern (i) generation of kinins on membranes with negative surface charge, (ii) activation of the complement system as a function of binding to the me mbrane of the regulatory protein H, (iii) generation of thrombin-antit hrombin complexes (TAT), and (iv) generation of plasmin/antiplasmin co mplexes with an interesting discrepancy between in vivo and in vitro.