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Updated: Jan 25, 2026
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Surface Engineering of Pancreatic Islets with a Heparinized StarPEG Nanocoating
Published on: June 23, 2018
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A Century of Heparin
Chin Siang Ong1, James A Marcum2, Kenton J Zehr3
1Division of Cardiac Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland; Division of Cardiac Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
|May 12, 2019
Summary
Newly found artifacts, including Jay McLean's unpublished letter, offer fresh insights into the 1918 discovery and naming of the anticoagulant heparin. Historical records reveal details about the discovery and the subsequent removal of a plaque honoring McLean.
Area of Science:
- * Medical History
- * Biochemistry
- * Pharmacology
Background:
- * 2018 marked the centennial of heparin's naming by Holt and Howell.
- * Jay McLean discovered an anticoagulant, heparphosphatide, in 1916.
- * Heparin is a critical anticoagulant medication used widely in clinical practice.
Observation:
- * Discovery of previously unknown historical artifacts related to heparin.
- * Unearthing of Jay McLean's unpublished 1950 letter detailing heparin's discovery.
- * Identification of a plaque dedicated to Jay McLean and its subsequent removal.
Findings:
- * McLean's letter provides a comprehensive account of the anticoagulant discovery process.
- * New information clarifies the circumstances surrounding the naming of heparin.
- * Investigation into the history and removal of the McLean plaque from public display.
Implications:
- * Enhanced understanding of the historical context of heparin's discovery and naming.
- * Potential for revising historical accounts of anticoagulant development.
- * Highlights the importance of preserving and contextualizing scientific heritage.
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