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Updated: Mar 31, 2026
07:09
Experimental and Imaging Techniques for Examining Fibrin Clot Structures in Normal and Diseased States
Published on: April 1, 2015
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Zinc promotes clot stability by accelerating clot formation and modifying fibrin structure
Sara J Henderson, Jing Xia, Huayin Wu
1Jeffrey I. Weitz, Thrombosis and Atherosclerosis Research Institute, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, ON, L8L 2X2, Canada, Tel.: +1 905 521 2100 ext. 40721,
Thrombosis and Haemostasis
|October 23, 2015
Summary
Zinc accelerates blood clot formation and increases clot porosity. However, it significantly reduces clot stiffness, making clots more stable and resistant to rupture, potentially working with factor XIII to regulate clot strength.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Hematology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Zinc released from activated platelets binds fibrinogen and reduces fibrinolysis.
- The precise mechanisms and consequences of zinc's effects on clot formation are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of zinc on blood clot formation and structure.
- To elucidate the role of zinc in conjunction with factor XIII (FXIII) during clot formation.
Main Methods:
- Assessed plasma and fibrinogen clotting kinetics with and without FXIII.
- Utilized scanning electron microscopy for structural analysis.
- Performed rheological analyses to measure clot stiffness.
- Conducted permeability studies to evaluate clot porosity.
Main Results:
- Zinc significantly accelerated plasma and fibrinogen clotting.
- Zinc increased fibrin fiber diameter and clot porosity.
- Zinc reduced clot stiffness, enhancing clot stability and resistance to rupture, independently of FXIII.
Conclusions:
- Zinc accelerates clot formation and alters fibrin structure.
- Zinc reduces fibrin clot stiffness in a FXIII-independent manner.
- Zinc may interact with FXIII to modulate overall clot strength and stability.
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