Physiology and Pathology of Blood Coagulation

Abstract

Serum as well as plasma contains a clotting factor, called factor VII, which accelerates the formation of thrombin without increasing the amt. produced. It seems to be closely related to prothrombin but they can be separated. A separation of the two by the coagulation process itself (prothrombin is consumed, factor VII remains almost unchanged during clotting), by adsorption (factor VII is more readily adsorbed than prothrombin, by asbestos filter for instance), and by dicoumarol, which in the 1st days of treatment produces a more rapid drop of factor VII than of prothrombin. Methods for the isolation and preparation of factor VII as well as for its clinical detn. are presented.