Role of Tissue Factor in Hemostasis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Development

Top Cited Papers
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Tissue factor (TF) is best known as the primary cellular initiator of blood coagulation. After vessel injury, the TF:FVIIa complex activates the coagulation protease cascade, which leads to fibrin deposition and activation of platelets. TF deficiency causes embryonic lethality in the mouse and there have been no reports of TF deficiency in humans. These results indicate that TF is essential for life, most likely because of its central role in hemostasis. In addition, aberrant TF expression within the vasculature initiates life-threatening thrombosis in various diseases, such as sepsis, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Finally, recent studies have revealed a nonhemostatic role of TF in the generation of coagulation proteases and subsequent activation of protease activated receptors (PARs) on vascular cells. This TF-dependent signaling contributes to a variety of biological processes, including inflammation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and cell migration. This review focuses on the roles of TF in hemostasis, thro... Tissue factor (TF) expression by nonvascular cells plays an essential role in hemostasis by activating blood coagulation. In contrast, TF expression by vascular cells induces intravascular thrombosis. Finally, TF-dependent assembly of coagulation proteases on vascular cells activates protease activated receptors, which contributes to inflammation, angiogenesis, and metastasis.