TY - JOUR
T1 - Viscoelasticity and Ultrastructure in Coagulation and Inflammation
T2 - Two Diverse Techniques, One Conclusion
AU - Swanepoel, Albe C.
AU - Nielsen, Vance G.
AU - Pretorius, Etheresia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
PY - 2015/8/21
Y1 - 2015/8/21
N2 - The process of blood clotting has been studied for centuries. A synopsis of current knowledge pertaining to haemostasis and the blood components, including platelets and fibrin networks which are closely involved in coagulation, are discussed. Special emphasis is placed on tissue factor (TF), calcium and thrombin since these components have been implicated in both the coagulation process and inflammation. Analysis of platelets and fibrin morphology indicate that calcium, tissue factor and thrombin at concentrations used during viscoelastic analysis (with thromboelastography or TEG) bring about alterations in platelet and fibrin network ultrastructure, which is similar to that seen in inflammation. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that, when investigating platelet structure in disease, addition of TF, calcium or thrombin will mask disease-induced alterations associated with platelet activation. Therefore, washed platelets without any additives is preferred for morphological analysis. Furthermore, morphological and viscoelastic analysis confirmed that thrombin activation is the preferred method of fibrin activation when investigating fibrin network ultrastructure.
AB - The process of blood clotting has been studied for centuries. A synopsis of current knowledge pertaining to haemostasis and the blood components, including platelets and fibrin networks which are closely involved in coagulation, are discussed. Special emphasis is placed on tissue factor (TF), calcium and thrombin since these components have been implicated in both the coagulation process and inflammation. Analysis of platelets and fibrin morphology indicate that calcium, tissue factor and thrombin at concentrations used during viscoelastic analysis (with thromboelastography or TEG) bring about alterations in platelet and fibrin network ultrastructure, which is similar to that seen in inflammation. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that, when investigating platelet structure in disease, addition of TF, calcium or thrombin will mask disease-induced alterations associated with platelet activation. Therefore, washed platelets without any additives is preferred for morphological analysis. Furthermore, morphological and viscoelastic analysis confirmed that thrombin activation is the preferred method of fibrin activation when investigating fibrin network ultrastructure.
KW - coagulation
KW - fibrinogen/fibrin
KW - inflammation
KW - morphology
KW - platelets
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U2 - 10.1007/s10753-015-0148-7
DO - 10.1007/s10753-015-0148-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 25772112
AN - SCOPUS:84937253753
SN - 0360-3997
VL - 38
SP - 1707
EP - 1726
JO - Inflammation
JF - Inflammation
IS - 4
ER -