What is the primary physiological plasmin inhibitor?

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Multiple Choice

What is the primary physiological plasmin inhibitor?

Plasmin is the enzyme that dissolves clots by breaking down fibrin, so the body needs a strong brake to prevent excessive bleeding. The primary physiological inhibitor of plasmin in circulation is alpha-2 antiplasmin. It binds free plasmin with very high affinity, forming a stable complex that rapidly inactivates plasmin and stops further fibrinolysis. This keeps the break-down of clot proteins in check while clotting and repair processes continue elsewhere. Other choices—antithrombin mainly inhibits thrombin and other coagulation proteases, fibrinogen is a clotting substrate, and thrombin is a coagulation enzyme—do not serve as the main plasmin inhibitor in normal physiology.

Plasmin is the enzyme that dissolves clots by breaking down fibrin, so the body needs a strong brake to prevent excessive bleeding. The primary physiological inhibitor of plasmin in circulation is alpha-2 antiplasmin. It binds free plasmin with very high affinity, forming a stable complex that rapidly inactivates plasmin and stops further fibrinolysis. This keeps the break-down of clot proteins in check while clotting and repair processes continue elsewhere. Other choices—antithrombin mainly inhibits thrombin and other coagulation proteases, fibrinogen is a clotting substrate, and thrombin is a coagulation enzyme—do not serve as the main plasmin inhibitor in normal physiology.

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