Studies on bilokinase, a biliary plasminogen activator: immunologic property and organ distribution.

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the immunologic difference between bilokinase, a plasminogen activator in bile, and urokinase, an urinary plasminogen activator, and to demonstrate the organ distribution of these antigens. Polyclonal antibodies against the highly purified activators (bovine-bilokinase, -urokinase and human urokinase) were raised in rabbits or guinea pigs. Immunologic precipitin reactions and quenching were found to occur only between the activators and their respective antisera. Histo-immunologic demonstration of the activators revealed that bilokinase-antigen was localized mainly in the hepatocytes as well as in the mucosa of the gall bladder, whereas urokinase-antigen was present in the epithelium of the urinary tubules. The liver may have a potential role in the hepatobiliary fibrinolytic system.