noun
- Enzymes that break down fibrin, a protein involved in blood clotting, thereby dissolving blood clots.
Usage: plural form; medical/biochemistry term; also called fibrinolytic enzymes
Examples
- Fibrinolysins are produced naturally by the body to prevent excessive clot formation.
- Doctors may administer fibrinolysins to patients experiencing a heart attack to dissolve dangerous blood clots.
- The fibrinolysins in the bloodstream work to maintain a balance between clotting and clot dissolution.
- Tissue plasminogen activator is one of the most commonly used fibrinolysins in emergency medicine.
- Research into fibrinolysins has led to better treatments for stroke and thrombosis.