Thrombin receptor function and cardiovascular disease.
Thrombin, a multifunctional protease generated at sites of vascular injury, is a powerful agonist fora variety of cellular processes important in cardiovascular disease. A recently cloned thrombin receptor has provided a framework for understanding how thrombin, a protease rather than a classic ligand, activates cells. It has also yielded new tools for defining the role of thrombin and its receptor in cellular events. This review discusses a working model for how thrombin activates platelets and other cells, and possible roles for the thrombin receptor in thrombotic, proliferative, and inflammatory processes.
Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0524, USA.
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Coughlin