UROKINASE SYSTEM INVOLVES IN VASCULAR CELLS MIGRATION AND REGULATES THE GROWTH AND BRANCHING OF CAPILLARIES

Urokinase system representing urokinase-type plasminogen activator (urokinase, uPA) and urokinase re- ceptor (uPAR) plays an important regulatory role in the vascular wall and has the ability to run a proteolytic cascade, degradation of extracellular matrix and activate intracellular signaling in vascular cells. In this work, we have firstly shown a fundamental mechanism of urokinase system-dependent regulation of the trajectory of growth and branching of blood vessels what may be of particular importance in the growth of blood vessels in early embryogenesis and in adults during the repair/regeneration of tissues.