Similar resistance is observed in mice deficient for tPA's substrate, plasminogen.
In addition, tPA via a non-proteolytic mechanism has a second role, which is to trigger the activation of microglial cells. Our research interests concern the communication, signaling events and cell-cell interactions between neurons and microglia subsequent to normal or exaggerated stimulation of the central nervous system that lead to reorganization of neuronal connections in the brain or neuronal cell death . J. Neurosci . Tissue plasminogen activator and neuronal cell death. An extracellular proteolytic cascade promotes neuronal degeneration in the mouse hippocampus.