1.1. Heparin and its mechanism of action as an anticoagulant Heparin, a vital anticoagulant, enhances the activity of endogenous inhibitors within the clotting cascade, thereby preserving blood fluidity (Ofosu and Gray, 1988). Its interaction with cellular components of the coagulation system exerts ...
Fig. 2. Mechanism of activation of HCII. According to this model, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) binding displaces the N-terminal acidic domain of HCII, allowing it to interact with anion-binding exosite I (Exo I) of thrombin. If the GAG chain is of sufficient length, it may also bind to exosi...
This spring-like movement of the reactive loop7 traps the protease that is covalently linked to it in a stable, virtually irreversible complex8 that is then catabolized from the circulation by the liver. The triggering of the conformational trapping mechanism of the serpins is dependent on ...