SPATIAL-ASPECTS OF THE DYNAMICS OF BLOOD- COAGULATION .3. THROMBUS GROWTH IN-VITRO

The growth of fibrin clots in thin blood plasma layers was studied. It was found that the clot growth stops or is strongly retarded if its t hickness approaches 0,5 mm. Polymer clots growing toward each other fu se together at distances between the coagulation activation centers le ss than 1 mm, whereas at distances of about 1,5 mm, the clots are sepa rated by ungrowing flat gaps. In some experiments, successive formatio n of concentric ring-shaped structures was observed. Around the center s of coagulation initiation, up to 3 fibrin rings separated by areas o f uncoagulated plasma were formed. The data agree well with the hypoth esis advanced by the authors earlier that blood coagulation is regulat ed by auto-wave mechanism.