The plasminogen activating system (PAS) plays a key role, in regulating extracellular matrix, during growth, maintenance and repair of all tissues. Consisting of plasminogen activators and inhibitors, it can finely modulate the rate of protein turnover. Extracellular stimuli such as inflammatory and hypoxic mediators, growth factors, and integrins are known to closely interact with cellular signaling pathways in differentially regulating PAS elements. We focus this review to provide an overview of the genetic mechanisms involved in regulating individual elements of this system, as a blueprint for future analysis of involvement of each PAS element in pathological or physiological conditions.

Key words: plasminogen activating system, translation, transcription, PAI-1, uPA, uPAR, urokinase, serpine.