TIMP1 and fibrosis: Thus, the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1, a specific inhibitor of urokinase-type and tissue-type plasminogen activator (uPA and tPA)) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinase-1, TIMP-1; a specific inhibitor of MMPs) are increased during fibrosis, resulting in the inhibition of ECM degradation [52,53,54].