title: Actions of thrombin in the interstitium.
abstract: Thrombin is a pleiotropic enzyme best known for its contribution to fibrin formation and platelet aggregation during vascular hemostasis. There is increasing evidence to suggest a role for thrombin in the development of interstitial fibrosis, but interstitial thrombin has not been demonstrated by the direct determination of activity. Rather its presence is inferred by products of thrombin action such as fibrin and activated fibroblasts. This review will focus on possible mechanisms of thrombin formation in the interstitial space, the possible actions of thrombin, processes regulating thrombin activity in the interstitial space, and evidence supporting a role for thrombin in fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: de Ridder
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Lundblad
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Pizzo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism*; D005337:Fibrin / Q000378:metabolism; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005355:Fibrosis; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000378:metabolism; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C095202:FGL2 protein, human; D011516:Prothrombin; D005337:Fibrin; D005340:Fibrinogen; D013917:Thrombin
keywords: antithrombin III; blood coagulation factor; factor Xa; fibrosis; prothrombin; thrombin