[Intimal injury and thrombus formation].

One of the most important factor of thrombosis is intimal injury. We examined the morphology of thrombogenesis in the large artery using the rabbit as an experimental animal. When the intima was injured by a balloon catheter, we observed the adhesion of platelets onto the denuded area of the intima with various degrees of aggregation. Fibrinogen, fibronectin and vWF were observed on the surface of the aggregated platelets. In the raised thrombi induced by a polyethylene tubing fibrin thread formation was observed among the aggregated platelets. In the injured site showing interruption of internal elastic lamina by polyethylene tubing or wire tubing prominent fibrin formation was observed. The intima showing fibrous thickening which was induced by polyethylene tubing 3 weeks before the second injury also revealed prominent fibrin formation after the second injury. These thickened intima is considered to have an availability of a large amount of tissue factor for the activation of coagulation system than the normal intima.