Plasma kallikrein clearance by the liver: a review

ABSTRACT

1. The liver is the main organ clearing both plasma and tissue kallikereins from the circulation. Hepatocytes are responsible for the internalization of rat plasma kallikrein (RPK) and liver cell is located on its heavy chain which is not exposed on prokallikrein. An S-type lectin accounts for the receptor-mediated endocytosis of TPK. 2. These properties of the liver are affected by pathological situations, particularly the acute-phase response to inflammation, in which the kallikrein-kinin system plays a major role. The hepatic clearance of the alfa2-macroglobulin-plasma kallikrein complex is less efficient than the clearance of the free enzyme