It has been suggested that in vivo thrombi and emboli become deficient in intrinsic plasminogen (Pig) though plasma proteins are still able to percolate through the fibrin mesh which forms the basic structure of the clot. Thus it is reasonable to expect that such Pig-deficient thrombi will be degraded at a faster rate, if perfusion with a plasminogen activator is preceded by a preliminary perfusion of plasminogen itself. Such a hypothesis has important implications for clinical therapy.Our studies were undertaken in vitro, using human thrombo-emboli removed at postmortem. An initial perfusion wit 125I-labelled Pig showed an uptake of Pig into the thrombus about 3 times higher than the perfusion fluid, as shown previously (Strachan et al., 1974). Subsequent perfusion with buffer containing streptokinase (Sk) showed increased lysis under certain conditions, compared to that when either Pig was omitted from the preliminary perfusion or Sk from the main perfusion. This enhanced lysis was shown to depend upon the Pig concentration of the perfusion fluid.Strachan, C. J. L. et al. (1974), Thrombosis Res., 4, 303.