2003 Claude S. Hudson Award Address in Carbohydrate Chemistry. Heparin: Structure and Activity

摘要

Heparin, a sulfated polysaccharide, is a major clinical anticoagulant. It is exploited to overcome the natural propensity for blood to clot. Surgical procedures often require anticoagulation as do extracorporeal therapies, such as heart lung oxygenation and kidney dialysis. Whenever blood contacts damaged endothelium in a surgical wound or the synthetic surface of a medical device, the coagulation cascade is activated and a clot is formed (Figure 1).