Ammonia production during clot retraction and its use in assay of fibrinoligase.

Clotting of recalcified plasma is followed by an increase in its ammonia content that lasts 4 to 6 h. This ammonia production closely parallels the increase in acid-insoluble fibrin, which is evidence that the ammonia results from the action of fibrinoligase. If the clot is removed, ammonia production stops. The initial velocity of ammonia production is directly proportional to the fibrinogen concentration in plasma. Thus the rate-limiting factor in normal shed blood is the fibrinogen concentration. A maximum of 6.4 +/- 1.5 (SD) molecules of ammonia are produced per molecule of fibrinogen. Determination of the total ammonia produced is the fastest direct method of estimating the extent of frbrin cross-linkage in whole plasma. A method is proposed for assaying fibrinoligase, based on the rate of ammonia production in the presence of casein as substrate. Normal values are 7.6 +/- 2.9 (SD) mumol/min per liter of plasma.