Question

Expand TPA. Give its importance.

Answer 1

TPA is an enzyme. Enzymes are the protein molecules that are involved in any chemical reaction and enhance the rate of reaction without consuming itself. Enzymes are also called biocatalysts.

Complete Answer:
- TPA refers to Tissue Plasminogen Activator. It is protein that is involved in the breakdown of blood clots.
- TPA is a serine protease which is found on the epithelial cells. Epithelial cells are the cells that line the blood vessels.
- TPA is an enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin. It is mainly produced in the liver.

Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rTPA):
- TPA can be manufactured by using recombinant biotechnology methods. Tissue plasminogen activator produced by the means of recombinant biotechnology techniques is called as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rTPA).
- rTPA include reteplase, alteplase and tenecteplase. rTPA was first produced at Genentech in 1982.

Importances of tissue plasminogen activator:
- Tissue plasminogen activator helps in treating many blood related medical conditions such as embolic and thrombotic stroke, pulmonary embolism and myocardial infarctions.
Reduced TPA activity and elevated TPA and PAI-1 antigen levels can be risk markers for cardiovascular disease.
- TPA generates plasmin which dissolve the blood clots in the vasculature of the body.
- TPA deficiency also may be the sign of deep vein thrombosis. It can also help in detecting brain tumors.

Note: Human TPA has a molecular weight in a single chain is approx 70 kDa (kila Dalton). Tissue Plasminogen activator can be inhibited by plasminogen activator inhibitor – 1, protein C inhibitor, and plasminogen activator inhibitor -2.