Blood coagulation.
Under normal circumstances, the coagulation system is balanced in favour of anticoagulation. Thrombin is the key effector enzyme of the clotting cascade. Antagonists of vitamin K inhibit a vitamin-K-dependent post-translational modification of several coagulation proteins, which is required for these proteins to attain a phospholipid-binding conformation. Heparin stimulates the activity of antithrombin, a serine-protease inhibitor. Analysis of knock-out mice has shown the relative importance of the coagulation factors in vivo. Gene therapy may soon be a therapeutic option for inherited deficiencies of factors VIII and IX.
Dahlbäck
B
B
Department of Clinical Chemistry, Lund University, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. bjorn.dahlback@klkemi.mas.lu.se
D000818:Animals; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000503:physiopathology; D002836:Hemophilia B / Q000503:physiopathology; D006474:Hemorrhagic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D011486:Protein C / Q000502:physiology; D017293:Protein S / Q000502:physiology; D013917:Thrombin / Q000502:physiology; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D014842:von Willebrand Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology
D011486:Protein C; D017293:Protein S; D013917:Thrombin