Kallikrein

kallikrein /kal·li·kre·in/ (kal″ĭ-kre´in) any of several serine proteinases that cleave kininogens to form kinins.

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plasma kallikrein  a plasma hydrolase that cleaves HMW kininogen to produce bradykinin and also activates blood coagulation factors XII and VII and plasminogen.

tissue kallikrein  a hydrolase of tissues and various glandular secretions that cleaves LMW kininogen to form kallidin.

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kal·li·kre·in (kl-krn)

n.

An enzyme present in blood plasma, lymph, urine, saliva, pancreatic juices, and other body fluids that catalyzes the proteolysis of bradykininogen to bradykinin. Also called kininogenase.

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Kallikrein

Any of a group of compounds in the body known as serine endopeptidases that help to break down proteins into smaller units. Prostate-specific antigen belongs to this group of chemicals. A recently discovered kallikrein may be useful as a biomarker for ovarian cancer.

Mentioned in: Ovarian Cancer

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kallikrein

(kal´ikrē´in),
n a group of enzymes (plasma, tissue, pancreatic, urinary, submandibular kallikrein) that can convert kininogen to bradykinin or kallidin; trypsin and plasmin can also affect the conversion.

kallikrein-kinin system,

n a proposed hormonal system that functions within the kidney, with the en-zyme kallikrein in the re-nal cortex mediating production of bradykinin, which acts as a vasodilator peptide.

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kallikrein

any of a group of proteolytic enzymes present in various glands, lymph, urine, blood plasma, etc., or produced directly from mast cells or basophils, or indirectly from activated platelets. The major action of kallikreins is the liberation of kinins from α-2-globulins (kininogens), and they hence have vasodilator and whealing actions.

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kallikrein-kinin system

the enzyme system responsible for capillary permeability and smooth muscle contraction.