Very-low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) and a,-macroglobulin receptorllow-density-lipoprotein-receptor-related protein (a,MFULRP) are multifunctional endocytosis receptors of the low-density lipoprotein receptor family. Both have been shown to mediate endocytosis and degradation of complex between plasminogen activators and type-1 plasminogen-activator inhibitor (PAI-1) by cultured cells. We have now studied the specificity of binding and endocytosis by VLDLR and a,MFULRP among a variety of serine proteinase/serpin complexes, including various combinations of the serine proteinases urokinasetype and tissue-type plasminogen aqtivators, plasmin, thrombin, human leukocyte elastase, cathepsin G, and plasma kallikrein with the serpins PAI-1, horse leukocyte elastase inhibitor, protein C inhibitor, C1-inhibitor, a,-antiplasmin, a,-proteinase inhibitor, a,-antichymotrypsin, protease nexin-1, heparin cofactor 11, and antithrombin 111. Binding was estimated with radiolabelled ligands in ligand blotting analysis and microtiter well assays. Endocytosis was estimated by measuring receptor-associated protein (RAP)-sensitive degradation of radiolabelled complexes by Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with VLDLR cDNA and by COS-1 cells, which have a high endogenous expression of a,MR/LRP. We found that the receptors bind with high affinity to some, but not all, combinations of plasminogen activators and thrombin with PAI-1, protease nexin-I, protein C inhibitor, and antithrombin 111, while complexes of many serine proteinases with their primary inhibitor, i.e. plasmin/a,-antiplasmin complex, do not bind, or bind with a very low affinity. Both the serine proteinase and the serpin moieties contribute to the binding specificity. The binding specificities of VLDLR and a,MR/LRP are overlapping, but not identical. The results suggest that VLDLR and a,MR/LRP have different biological functions by having different binding specificities as well as by being expressed by different cell types.Keywords: low-density-lipoprotein-receptor-related protein; plasminogen activator; serine proteinase; serpin ; very-low-density lipoprotein receptor.A variety of physiological events, like blood coagulation, complement activation, fibrinolysis, and turnover of extracellular matrix, implicate the function of extracellular serine proteinase enzyme systems. Regulation of extracellular proteolysis caCorrespondence to P.