Intravascular fibrin films: elucidating mechanisms of formation and roles in thrombosis development

Description

Thrombosis is a deadly condition, where blood clots form inside blood vessels, preventing blood from reaching vital organs. Fibrin, a protein in the blood, is a crucial clot component that forms 3D networks of fibres that help to stabilise blood clots.

Our research has found that fibrin also forms continuous films on the surface of blood clots within blood vessels. We have found that fibrin films can reduce the binding of platelets and reduce further clotting. We therefore believe fibrin films may act as regulators of clot formation within vessels, and reduced film formation may lead to increased clot formation. Our investigation will focus on how these fibrin films are forming within blood vessels, exploring changes in the presence of certain fats (phospholipids) on cell surfaces as a mechanism for film formation.

We will also investigate what impact medications that help to prevent clot formation have on film formation, how fibrin films alter clot size, and the impact of changes in blood flow on film formation. Understanding how fibrin films contribute to the growth and contraction of blood clots within vessels will help us find new targets for the development of new drugs to prevent thrombotic diseases.