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Blood coagulation and fibrinolysis: an overview

D F Mosher1

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.

Clinical Cardiology
|April 1, 1990
PubMed

Recent advances in the understanding of blood coagulation provide strong evidence that exposure of tissue factor is the "match" which initiates blood coagulation. A novel plasma protease inhibitor, called EPI or LACI, effectively extinguishes this "match," leaving Factors IXa, VIII, X, V, and II to function as a "fuse." Activated Factors IX, X, and II are controlled by heparin-enhancable protease inhibitors. Activated Factors VIII and V are destroyed by the protein C/S system. Fibrinolysis is largely cell-based and controlled by differential secretion of plasminogen activators and plasminogen activator inhibitors.

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