Patent ID: 6911334

Claim:
A method for the detection of a protease, comprising contacting the protease with a solution containing at least one plasminogen activator and measuring the activity of the at least one plasminogen activator, wherein the activity of the at least one plasminogen activator is dependent on the protease, and wherein the protease a) activates blood clotting factor VII, b) is inhibited by the presence of aprotinin, c) is increased in its activity by the presence of at least one of the following: calcium ions, heparin, or heparin related substances, and d) in SDS-PAGE, on subsequent staining in the non-reduced state, comprises one or more bands in the molecular weight range from 50 to 75 kDa; and in SDS-PAGE, on subsequent staining in the reduced state, comprises a band at 40 to 55 kDa, one or more bands in the molecular weight range from 10 to 35 kDa, and a band, which corresponds to a proenzyme, in the molecular weight range between 60 and 65 kDa.