Why doesn’t injection of streptokinase cause a streptococcal infection? Why does streptokinase only affect fibrin and not beneficial tissues surrounding it?
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J-me
ANSWERS: 1
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Streptokinase is an enzyme (a protein that acts as a chemical catalyst) produced by streptococci. By itself it is just a chemical -- not a living organism -- so it has no ability to reproduce or cause an infection. Its effect is to convert plasminogen to plasmin, which in turn breaks down fibrin in blood clots. Like most enzymes, this is a very specific chemical reaction that acts only on the target molecules with little or no effect on other substances.
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