Coagulation

Coagulation laboratory tests

tPA assay



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Last staff update: 11 May 2021

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PubMed Search: tPA assay [title]


Jeremy C. Parsons, M.D.
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Table of Contents
Definition / general | Laboratory
Cite this page: Parsons J. tPA assay. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/coagulationtPAassay.html. Accessed March 28th, 2024.
Definition / general
  • tPA activity / antigen and PAI-1 activity / antigen are used to evaluate fibrinolysis; often PAI-1 activity and tPA antigen are ordered together
  • PAI-1 rapidly forms a complex with free tPA in the specimen
  • Not recommended for routine clinical laboratories due to complexity and special handling requirements
  • Can also measure tPA plasma concentration by ELISA or other immunologic assays
  • Resting level is usually low, not clinically significant
  • Post-stimulation level (such as after venous occlusion for 10 minutes) may be more useful
  • Higher levels in patients with acute paraquat intoxication (J Korean Med Sci 2011;26:474)
Laboratory
  • Must first inhibit interaction of tPA with PAI1 (its functional inhibitor) by acidifying plasma
  • Determine activity by measuring plasmin activity from conversion of plasminogen
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