Simulation of platelet adhesion and aggregation regulated by fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor.
We propose a method to analyze platelet adhesion and aggregation computationally, taking into account the distinct properties of two plasma proteins, von Willebrand factor (vWF) and fibrinogen (Fbg). In this method, the hydrodynamic interactions between platelet particles under simple shear flow were simulated using Stokesian dynamics based on the additivity of velocities. The binding force between particles mediated by vWF and Fbg was modeled using the Voigt model. Two Voigt models with different properties were introduced to consider the distinct behaviors of vWF and Fbg. Our results qualitatively agreed with the general observation of a previous in-vitro experiment, thus demonstrating that the significant development of thrombus formation in height requires not only vWF, but also Fbg. This agreement of simulation and experimental results qualitatively validates our model and suggests that consideration of the distinct roles of vWF and Fbg is essential to investigate the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms of thrombus formation using a computational approach.
Mori
Daisuke
D
Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Tohoku University, 6-6-01 Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan. daisuke@pfsl.mech.tohoku.ac.jp
Yano
Koichiro
K
Tsubota
Ken-Ichi
K
Ishikawa
Takuji
T
Wada
Shigeo
S
Yamaguchi
Takami
T
D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D010973:Platelet Adhesiveness; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D019038:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism*
D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D019038:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D005340:Fibrinogen