Fibrinogen is a central protein in blood coagulation. A functioning circula
tion system requires a precise balance between fibrin formation and removal
, i.e. between the interaction of fibrin(ogen) with thrombogenic and fibrin
olytic components of the blood. Fibrinogen and fibrin have also significant
roles in wound healing, in tumor growth and metastasis as well as in defen
se mechanisms. All functions and interactions are mediated by specific stru
ctural elements of the molecule. Already in healthy individuals fibrinogen
occurs in over a million nonidentical forms due to posttranslational modifi
cations and genetic polymorphism. The various forms may show considerable d
ifferences in their functional properties. Alterations in distributions amo
ng preexisting forms as well as additional forms have been observed to acco
mpany many types of disease. Furthermore, certain forms have been correlate
d with an increased risk to acquire disease. Monitoring the levels of vario
us molecular forms is expected to be of considerable diagnostic and prognos
tic value in many types of disease. Copyright (C) 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel.