Abstract
Intact endothelium is smooth, lacks thrombogenic proteins on its surface and protects circulating blood from exposure to subendothelial proteins such as collagen. As a result, blood constituents flow freely without adhering to endothelial structures. However, when endothelium is damaged and its integrity is disrupted, subendothelial structures come into contact with the constituents of blood (including coagulation factors and platelets), and this triggers an intricate process responsible for platelet attraction and deposition and, simultaneously, the coagulation cascade.
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Tay, K.H., Shantsila, E., Lip, G.Y.H. (2010). The coagulation pathway and approaches to anticoagulation. In: Handbook of Oral Anticoagulation. Springer Healthcare, Tarporley. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-908517-08-1_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-908517-08-1_1
Publisher Name: Springer Healthcare, Tarporley
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Online ISBN: 978-1-908517-08-1
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