Plasmin in subretinal fluid

Abstract

Proteolytic activity was studied in subretinal fluid from 56 eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment without vitreous or subretinal hemorrhage. Active plasmin (1.0-15.2 micrograms/ml) was found in 33 eyes and plasmin-inhibitor complexes in 3 eyes. Plasmin was detected more often in large detachments, but there was no clear correlation with the duration of the detachment or characteristics of the holes in the retina. It seems possible that plasmin in subretinal fluid may enhance release of cells from the pigment epithelium by degrading the extracellular matrix and contribute to the development of proliferative vitreoretinopathy.