A pathway leading to hypoxia-induced vascular fibrin deposition

Hypoxemia has long been associated with vascular fibrin formation leading t o thrombosis. This review describes a pathway through which mononuclear pha gocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells upregulate tissue factor under hyp oxic conditions. Increased expression of tissue factor triggers events lead ing to vascular fibrin deposition, providing insight into a novel mechanism potentially underlying thrombosis in ischemic vasculature.