| tissue plasminogen activator n. Abbr. TPA or tPA 1. A clot-dissolving enzyme that is produced naturally by cells in the walls of blood vessels and catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin. 2. A preparation of this enzyme that is produced by genetic engineering and used to dissolve clots blocking coronary arteries in heart attack and cranial arteries in certain cases of stroke. |
| tissue plasminogen activator An enzyme that dissolves blood clots. It can be produced naturally by cells in the walls of blood vessels, or prepared through the use of genetic engineering. Tissue plasminogen activator is used in the coronary arteries during heart attacks and in the cranial arteries in certain types of strokes. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  tissue plasminogen activator - a thrombolytic agent (trade name Activase) that causes fibrinolysis at the site of a blood clot; used in treating acute myocardial infarctionclot buster, thrombolytic, thrombolytic agent - a kind of pharmaceutical that can break up clots blocking the flow of blood to the heart muscle |
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