Interaction with coagulation proteinases

Heparin can affect various steps of the coagulation cascade. It is now generally recognized that heparin acts as an anticoagulant of blood mainly by dramatically potentiating the inhibitory eflfect of antithrombin on the proteinases. However, heparin can also interact directly with some of the proteinases, modulate most of the reactions in the cascade by interaction with such co-factors as Ca ions and phospholipids, and significantly affect other functions (such as the platelet function) or processes (such as fibrinolysis) associated with formation and lysis of... 

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