Academic Unit of Molecular Vascular Medicine, Martin Wing, The General Infirmary at Leeds, Leeds, LS1 3EX, UK.
The formation of a fibrin clot is one of the key events in atherothrombotic vascular disease. The structure of the fibrin clot and the genetic and environmental factors that modify it have effects on its biological function. Alterations in fibrin structure and function have implications for the clinical presentation of vascular disease. This review briefly describes the key features involved in the formation of a fibrin clot, its typical structure, and function. This is followed by a review of the current literature on genetic and environmental influences on fibrin structure/function and the relationship to clinical disease. The formation of a fibrin clot is one of the key events in atherothrombotic vascular disease. This review discusses how genetic and environmental factors alter fibrin structure and function and the implications this has for the clinical presentation of vascular disease.