UROKINASE RECEPTORS, AND ITS STRUCTURE, SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND IMPORTANCE IN ‘PULMONARY RENAL CASCADE

Aim: Urokinase is an important and critical enzyme of the Pulmonary renal cascade. The urokinase - type plasminogen activator (uPA) receptor (uPAR), was identified, isolated and cloned as the plasma membrane high - affinity binding - site of the serine protease uPA. Plasma membrane urokinase - type plasminogen activator (uPA) - rece ptor (uPAR) is a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) - anchored protein that binds with high - affinity and activates the serine protease uPA, thus regulating proteolytic activity at the cell surface. uPA and its receptor may be important for respiratory rhyth mogenesis and may contribute in respiratory disorders. This mini - review outlines the importance of uPA and uPAR structure, receptor function and roles in respiratory disorders