Summary
Mechanisms mediating initial adsorption of coagulation proteins to live cells were
investigated. Adsorption kinetics were examined under varying flow conditions using
tracer-dilution techniques in perfused spherical monolayers of cells expressing tissue
factor. At biologically relevant time and concentration ranges, rates exceeded by
2-12 fold the theoretical maximum calculated for steady-state diffusion. Rates were
correlated with aqueous-phase flux of reactants and were found to be largely independent
of the density of reactive sites on the membrane. Average adsorption rate of factor
VIIa at 4 ηM and flow velocity of 0.8 ηm s-1 was 5 × 107 s-1 cm-2. Adsorption rates of homologous coagulation factors IX and X under similar conditions
were 5 and 9 × 107 s-1 cm-2. Results indicate that flow can effectively increase the rate of coagulation factor
adsorption to the membrane of live cells. They also imply that factors affecting blood
flow velocity and vessel permeability influence the rate of membrane-dependent coagulation
reactions.