The application of molecular biology techniques to haemostasis and thrombosis

One may no longer consider coagulation research without encompassing the wealth of knowledge available from the application of molecular biology techniques. This innovative form of research has not proceeded to the exclusion of more conventional techniques, and moreover has provided support for basic scientific hypotheses. This paper discusses the molecular biology techniques currently used in the study of haemostatic and thrombotic disorders and gives an outline of the evolution of such techniques which have taken place at a staggering pace. The article includes specific examples of how results from molecular studies are directly applied to hereditary haemostatic and thrombotic diseases to support clinical diagnosis and to increase our understanding of the biochemical processes involved in the disorders. The reader is referred to several reviews for detailed lists of genetic defects revealed by molecular biological techniques.