Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 23, 2026

Experimental and Imaging Techniques for Examining Fibrin Clot Structures in Normal and Diseased States
Published on: April 1, 2015
Fibrinogen gamma chain functions
1The Blood Research Institute of the Blood Center of Southeastern Wisconsin, PO Box 2178, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-2178, USA. mwmosesson@bcsew.edu
This review covers the functional features of the fibrinogen gamma chains including their participation in fibrin polymerization and cross-linking, their role in the initiation of fibrinolysis, their binding and regulation of factor XIII activity, their interactions with platelets and other cells, and their role in mediating thrombin binding to fibrin, a thrombin inhibitory function termed 'antithrombin I'.
This review covers the functional features of the fibrinogen gamma chains including their participation in fibrin polymerization and cross-linking, their role in the initiation of fibrinolysis, their binding and regulation of factor XIII activity, their interactions with platelets and other cells, and their role in mediating thrombin binding to fibrin, a thrombin inhibitory function termed 'antithrombin I'.
Related Concept Videos
Clot Retraction and Fibrinolysis
Extrinsic and Intrinsic Pathways of Hemostasis
The Extrinsic Pathway
The extrinsic pathway of coagulation is typically initiated by tissue damage that exposes blood to tissue factor (TF), a protein released by the damaged tissue cells outside the blood vessels—this interaction with TF triggers biochemical reactions involving specific clotting factors. The key player here is Factor VII, which forms a...
Fibril-associated Collagen
For example, the type II collagen fibrils in cartilage have covalently bound type IX fibril-associated collagens at regular intervals. Other types of fibril-associated collagens are...
Fibronectins Connect Cells with ECM
Both proteoglycans and collagen are attached to fibronectin proteins, which, in turn, are attached to integrin proteins. These integrin proteins interact with transmembrane...
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins
Coagulation
During the coagulation phase, clotting factors, or procoagulants, play a vital role in initiating and progressing the coagulation cascade. This cascade is a series of reactions...

