Explain the function of t-PA.

tPA activates plasminogen to plasmin, and also binds to fibrin. It is synthesized mainly in vascular endothelial cell and is secreted into the plasma continuously, and also through the acute release of tPA. tPA is a relatively poor activator of plasminogen in the absence of fibrin due to the low affinity of tPA for its substrate. However, tPA has a high affinity for fibrin, and binding increases its activating capacity up to 1000 fold. This dramatic increase is attributed to specific binding sites on the fibrin surface that concentrate and correctly orientate tPA with its substrate, as well as promote efficient clot lysis.