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A simple, automated functional assay for protein C
P A Walker1, K A Bauer, J McDonagh
1Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
Protein C is an important anticoagulant in circulating blood. The balance between the procoagulant and anticoagulant pathways determines whether a patient is at risk for thrombosis or hemorrhage, and low levels of protein C may result in thrombotic disease. It is important for clinical coagulation laboratories to measure protein C. For this purpose, a simple functional assay is needed. This article describes an automated assay for functional protein C with activation by copperhead venom. The authors have automated this assay for a centrifugal analyzer (COBAS Bio) and have proved the specificity of the assay by comparing values obtained amidolytically with those obtained with a radioimmunoassay for protein C.
Protein C is an important anticoagulant in circulating blood. The balance between the procoagulant and anticoagulant pathways determines whether a patient is at risk for thrombosis or hemorrhage, and low levels of protein C may result in thrombotic disease. It is important for clinical coagulation laboratories to measure protein C. For this purpose, a simple functional assay is needed. This article describes an automated assay for functional protein C with activation by copperhead venom. The authors have automated this assay for a centrifugal analyzer (COBAS Bio) and have proved the specificity of the assay by comparing values obtained amidolytically with those obtained with a radioimmunoassay for protein C.