Alpha 2-antiplasmin (or α₂-antiplasmin or plasmin inhibitor) is a serine protease inhibitor (serpin) responsible for inactivating plasmin, an important enzyme that participates in fibrinolysis and degradation of various other proteins.

The gene for A2AP is located on the short arm of the 17th chromosome (17pter-p12).

Role in disease

Very few cases (<20) of A2AP deficiency have been described. As plasmin degrades blood clots, impaired inhibition of plasmin leads to a bleeding tendency, which was severe in the cases reported.

External link

• OMIM 262850 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=262850)

Cardiovascular system - Blood

Red blood cells - White blood cells - Platelets - Blood plasma

White blood cells

Granulocytes (Neutrophil granulocytes, Eosinophil granulocytes, Basophil granulocytes) - Lymphocytes - Monocytes

Coagulation

Coagulation factors: - Fibrin - Thrombin - FVII - FVIII - FIX - FXII - FXIII - HMWK - vWF

Inhibitors: Antithrombin - Protein C - Protein S - TFPI

Fibrinolysis: Plasmin - tPA/uPA - PAI-1/2 - α2-AP