Hageman factor: alterations in physical properties during activation.

Highly purified preparations of Hageman factor, a potent clotpromoting agent in normal mammalian plasma, had a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 5S before activation. After activation, the Hageman factor behaved as a much less soluble or larger molecule during ultracentrifugation and gel filtration. No significant change in sedimentation behavior was noted when the Hageman factor in plasma deficient in plasma thromboplastin antecedent was activated. The altered sedimentation behavior of purified activated Hageman factor probably reflects its decreased solubility in aqueous media.