Release of fibrinolytic activators from the cornea and conjunctiva.

The authors studied the release of fibrinolytic activators from in vitro cultures of human and animal cornea with the following main findings: (1) the epithelium is the main activator source; (2) the addition of tripeptide, salicylate, chloroquine and phorbolester to the culture medium increases the fibrinolytic activity of the cultures; (3) corticosteroids depress the fibrinolytic activity; (4) explants of human conjunctiva also release fibrinolytic activators. The pathophysiological role of this activator is unknown. Hypothetically, besides preventing fibrin deposition on the surface of the eye, this activator may also stimulate leucocyte migration, activate procollagenase, protect the endothelial pump, and regulate vascular permeability and angiogenesis in the cornea.