Figure 1.

Schematic illustration of acute ischemic stroke and the function of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for thrombolysis treatment. The supplying vessel (middle cerebral artery [MCA]) was blocked by thrombosis in situ and the blood supply is halted within the MCA territory. The brain tissue of this region will experience oxygen and glucose deprivation and, ultimately, an irreversible infarct will develop if the blood supply is not restored. Timely recanalization of the supplying vessel is one of the most effective strategies for treatment, at early stages of acute ischemic stroke. The thrombus is generally comprised of aggregated activated platelets, red blood cells, and cross-linked fibrin monomers. tPA physiologically functions as a pivotal thrombolytic agent which could convert plasminogen to plasmin, and the latter could degenerate the cross-linked fibrin monomers to fibrin degradation products and thus dissolve the main structure of the thrombus.