Premium
Tracking down contact activation – from coagulation in vitro to inflammation in vivo
Author(s) -
Maat S.,
Tersteeg C.,
Herczenik E.,
Maas C.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
international journal of laboratory hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.705
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1751-553X
pISSN - 1751-5521
DOI - 10.1111/ijlh.12222
Subject(s) - proinflammatory cytokine , coagulation , coagulation system , inflammation , in vivo , bradykinin , contact system , medicine , immunology , chemistry , bioinformatics , biology , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , receptor , mechanical engineering , engineering
Summary The contact system is a volatile and versatile enzyme system in blood plasma that responds to the presence of nonphysiological surface materials by spontaneous generation of enzymatic activity. In subsequent steps, it can trigger blood coagulation and is responsible for the generation of the proinflammatory peptide bradykinin. The physiological role of the contact system is presently unknown, but it is commonly used to trigger coagulation in a diagnostic setting. In this three‐part review, we will first describe the molecular mechanisms that drive contact activation on nonphysiological materials. Next, we will summarize and compare a number of bioassays, which are commonly used to investigate the contact system in health and disease. Finally, we will discuss recent findings from both fundamental and clinical studies on the contributions of contact system to cardiovascular, infectious, and inflammatory disease.