Characterisation and role of phospholipids in the initiation of coagulation through tissue factor
When blood clots form in blood vessels they block the flow of blood and can cause heart attacks and strokes. Finding new ways to manage blood clotting could prevent and treat blood clots that lead to a heart attack or stroke. Blood clots are triggered by a protein called ‘tissue factor’, which activates the blood clotting system. Tissue factor is found in the outer surface of the cell, called the membrane, and the chemical structure of different types of membrane affect how well tissue factor activates clotting. The BHF has awarded a grant to Professor Peter Collins and his team from Cardiff University to study the membranes of cells that contain tissue factor, and work out how their chemical structure affects blood clotting. The team recently developed techniques to study the chemical structure of the membrane of blood cells involved in clotting, called platelets. They will now work out how tissue factor is held in the cell membrane of other cell types, and how this triggers and controls blood clotting. Understanding how blood clotting is initiated by tissue factor will help us understand why clots occur unnecessarily. This research may also reveal new treatments that could achieve the balance of allowing clots to form to stop bleeding but preventing dangerous clots that can block blood vessels.
Project details
| Grant amount | £181,042 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 01 August 2015 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/14/29/30783 |
| Status | Complete |
