Abstract
Serine proteases, including trypsin, thrombin, plasminogen activators, plasmin and several others, are synthesized in nervous tissue, mainly in the brain, including the cortex, limbic system and cerebellum. This review examines the involvement of serine proteases in neuroplasticity and behavioral regulation. Endogenous serine proteases play an important role in the formation, development and maintenance of the nervous system. Through limited proteolysis, these proteases activate PARs (protease-activated receptors), modify other receptors or their ligands, process neurotrophic factors, degrade intercellular matrix and cell adhesion proteins and initiate complex signal transduction cascades necessary for structural modification of synapses. The involvement of serine proteases in morphological and functional synaptic plasticity may underlie cognitive processes, including learning and memory in animals and humans.
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