蛇毒类凝血酶的研究进展

蛇毒类凝血酶（TLE）属胰蛋白酶家族中的丝氨酸蛋白酶,在序列上与胰蛋白酶有更多的保守序列。具有精氨酸酯酶活性,能直接作用于纤维蛋白原,催化纤维蛋白原分子的特定部位Arg—Gly肽键的裂解,释放血纤肽A（FPA）或B（FPB）,导致纤维蛋白的单体首尾聚合而凝固,故被称为类凝血酶。但它在体内不激活凝血因子瑚,由它水解生成的纤维蛋白凝块不产生侧链交联,对纤溶酶的消化高度敏感,易被天然网状内皮系统或正常的纤溶作用所清除。因此导致胞浆中纤维蛋白原浓度显著下降,表现降纤、抗凝的效果。     

浙江蝮蛇蛇毒凝血酶在家兔体内的抗凝作用的研究

浙江产蝮蛇（Agkistrodon halys Pallas）毒类凝血酶经静脉注射家兔（0.25毫克/公斤）可使血浆凝血酶时间显著延长,这是由于血浆纤维蛋白原的水平下降及其性质上的变化引起的。表现在对Ristocetin的亲合力显著降低。此凝血酶时间之延长可被甲苯胺兰部分纠正。葡萄球菌猬集试验表明体内有大量纤维蛋白降解产物（FDP）产生。体外实验表明该酶不激活FXⅢ。 上述结果说明,类凝血酶的体内抗凝作用除由于纤维蛋白原含量降低及性质上有变化外,还与给药后体内大量纤维蛋白降解产物的形成有关。     

蛇毒中凝血酶样酶的研究

蛇毒中凝血酶样酶的研究韦世秀广西医科大学蛇毒研究所南宁５３００２１许多蝮亚科蛇毒中都含有一种氨基酸酯酶［１］,它催化纤维蛋白原分子特定部位Ａｒｇ－Ｇｌｙ肽键的裂解,释出血纤肽而转换为纤维蛋白。其作用与血浆凝血酶十分相似,因而称之为凝血酶样酶（Ｔｈｒｏ...     

烙铁头蛇毒素纤维蛋白原溶酶研究:Ⅱ.对纤维蛋白原及凝血酶的作用

烙铁头（T.mucrosquamatus）蛇毒纤维蛋白原溶酶TMVFg能水解三肽底物Bz-Phe-Val-Arg-PNA，但对凝血酶的良好底物Cbz-Gly-Pro-Arg-PNA却活性甚低。TMVFg显著延长血浆凝血酶时间、血浆复钙时间及纤维蛋白原溶液凝血酶时间。同时，TMVFg体外也能延长全血凝固时间，表明具有抗凝作用。纤维蛋白原-纤维蛋白转换实验表明：TMVFg水解纤维蛋白原产生的纤维蛋白原断片（FDP）除具有抗凝血酶，抑制纤维蛋白聚合活性外，还能促进纤维蛋白的聚合。进一步用FPLC分离TMVFg水解人纤维蛋白原混合液，得两个FDP断片功能峰，FDP组分Ⅰ和FDP组分Ⅱ。其中FDP组分Ⅰ能抑制纤维蛋白凝块形成；FDP组分Ⅱ能促进纤维蛋白凝块形成，抑制TMVA（烙铁头蛇毒血小板活化素，它可不通过ADP、花生四烯酸途径而诱导血小板聚集），但对ADP诱导的家兔血小板聚集无影响。TMVFg对凝血酶水解三肽底物Cbz-Gly-Pro-Arg-PNA及凝固纤维蛋白原的活性也有一定抑制作用。实验证明，TMVFg抗凝的主要作用机理是其水解纤维蛋白原产生的断片对纤维蛋白原凝固的抑制作用、FDP断片抗凝血酶作用及TMVFg本身对凝血酶活性的抑制所引起的，但在二者之间，前者是主要的。从研究结果发现：TMVFg水解纤维蛋白原所产生的断片有一类能加速凝血酶凝固纤维蛋白原的过程，这就发现了FDP断片的新功能。它证明了FDP断片作为血液凝固、纤溶正反馈调节因子的功能。这一类FDP断片还能抑制TMVA诱导的血小板聚集，因此，烙铁头蛇毒纤维蛋白原溶酶TMVFg将成为研究血液凝固调节系统及血小板聚集第三条途径的强有力试剂。     

烙铁头蛇毒纤维蛋白原溶酶研究——Ⅱ.对纤维蛋白原及凝血酶的作用

烙铁头(T.mucrosquamatus)蛇毒纤维蛋白原溶酶TMVFg能水解三肽底物Bz-Phe-Val-Arg-PNA,但对凝血酶的良好底物Cbz-Gly-Pro-Arg-PNA却活性甚低。TMVFS显著延长血浆凝血酶时间。血浆复钙时间及纤维蛋白原溶液凝血酶时间。同时,TMVFg体外也能延长全血凝固时间,表明具有抗凝作用。纤维蛋白原-纤维蛋白转换实验表明:TMVFg水解纤维蛋白原产生的纤维蛋白原断片(FDP)除具有抗凝血酶,抑制纤维蛋白聚合活性外,还能促进纤维蛋白的聚合。 进一步用FPLC分离TMVFg水解人纤维蛋白原混合液,得两个FDP断片功能峰,FDP组分Ⅰ和FDP组分Ⅱ。其中FDP组分Ⅰ能抑制纤维蛋白凝块形成;FDP组分Ⅱ能促进纤维蛋白凝块形成,抑制TMVA(烙铁头蛇毒血小板活化素,它可不通过ADP、花生四烯酸途径而诱导血小板聚集),但对ADP诱导的家兔血小板聚集无影响。TMVFg对凝血酶水解三肽底物Cbz-Gly-Pro-Arg-PNA及凝固纤维蛋白原的活性也有一定抑制作用。 实验证明,TMVFg抗凝的主要作用机理是其水解纤维蛋白原产生的断片对纤维蛋白原凝固的抑制作用、FDP断片抗凝血酶作用及TMVFg本身对凝血酶活性的抑制所引起的,但在二者之间,前者是主要的。 从研究结果发现:TMVFg水解纤维蛋白原所产生的断片有一类能加速凝血酶凝固纤维蛋白原的过程,这就发现了FDP断片的     

蛇毒类凝血酶的基因工程研究进展

自 1 936年 Klobusitzki和 Konig首次从美洲矛头蝮蛇 ( Bothrops jararaca)毒中获得部分纯化的类凝血酶以来 ,迄今已发现 30多种蛇毒中含有类凝血酶组份 ,并有 2 0多种先后得到分离和纯化。尤其近年来基于有关蛇毒类凝血酶分子结构及酶学性质的研究成果 ,部分蛇毒类凝血酶已经作为治疗药物而广泛应用于临床 ,如国外的 Ancrod和Batroxobin蛇毒抗凝剂 ,国内的五步蛇毒去纤酶、东北白眉蝮蛇抗栓酶 (清栓酶 )、江浙蝮蛇抗栓酶等已广泛用于临床治疗脑血栓形成、脉管炎、冠心病、心肌梗死 ,也有用于治疗癌痛综合症 [1]。但目前有关蛇毒类凝血酶…     

蝮蛇(Agkistrodon halys Pallas)蛇毒类凝血酶的研究——Ⅰ.分离提纯及理化、酶学性质的鉴定

(1) 浙江产蝮蛇蛇毒中含有三种具有精氨酸酯酶活力的组分。它们分别是激肽释放酶、类凝血酶及类溶血纤维酶。其中类凝血酶的精氨酸酯酶活力最高,约占总酯酶活力的60%。(2) 提纯后的类凝血酶在聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳上呈一条区带。经凝胶过滤及SDS聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳测定,其分子量约43,000。氨基酸组成分析表明含有较多的酸性氨基酸及脯氨酸,此外还含有约6%的中性糖,9%的己糖胺及3.3%的唾液酸。(3) 类凝血酶能直接使血纤维蛋白原凝聚,水解BAEE的活力约是胰蛋白酶的2.7倍,K_m为3.4×10~(-4)M,高于其它已知的蝮亚科蛇毒类凝血酶活力。它不作用于BANA、BAPA及其它蛋白底物。蛇毒类凝血酶与人凝血酶一样,对专一萤光底物Boc-Val-Pro-Arg-MCA都有明显活力,但其凝结血纤维蛋白原的活力却远低于人凝血酶。(4) 类凝血酶能被DFP及PMSF所抑制,但抑制速度缓慢,不能被胰蛋白酶的专一抑制剂TLCK所抑制,因而是专一性很强的丝氨酸蛋白酶。     

蝮蛇(Agkistrodon halys Pallas)蛇毒类凝血酶的研究——Ⅰ.分离提纯及理化、酶学性质的鉴定

(1)浙江产蝮蛇蛇毒中含有三种具有精氨酸酯酶活力的组分。它们分别是激肽释放酶、类凝血酶及类溶血纤维酶。其中类凝血酶的精氨酸酯酶活力最高,约占总酯酶活力的60%。(2)提纯后的类凝血酶在聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳上呈一条区带。经凝胶过滤及SDS 聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳测定,其分子量约43,000。氨基酸组成分析表明含有较多的酸性氨基酸及脯氨酸,此外还含有约6%的中性糖,9%的己糖胺及3.3%的唾液酸。(3)类凝血酶能直接使血纤维蛋白原凝聚,水解BAEE 的活力约是胰蛋白酶的2.7倍,K_(?)为3.4×10~(-4)M,高于其它已知的蝮亚科蛇毒类凝血酶活力。它不作用于BANA、BAPA 及其它蛋白底物。蛇毒类凝血酶与人凝血酶一样,对专一萤光底物Boc-Val-Pro-Arg-MCA 都有明显活力,但其凝结血纤维蛋白原的活力却远低于人凝血酶。(4)类凝血酶能被DFP 及PMSF 所抑制,但抑制速度缓慢,不能被胰蛋白酶的专一抑制剂TLCK 所抑制,因而是专一性很强的丝氨酸蛋白酶。     

蛇毒类凝血酶的分子生物学研究进展及其应用

蛇毒类凝血酶在体外可以作用于纤维蛋白原使其凝固,具有类似凝血酶的功能。但在体内却表现出抗凝、降纤的功能。本概述了蛇毒类凝血酶对纤维蛋白原的识别和作用、序列同源性特点、cDNA克隆的表达以及在临床中的应用。     

蛇毒类凝血酶calobin在毕赤酵母中的表达

蛇毒类凝血酶是临床上防治血栓栓塞性疾病的有效药物。参照朝鲜蝮蛇(Agkistrodon caliginosus,Korean Viper)类凝血酶calobin基因序列(GenBank AccessionNo.U32937.1),将人工合成的calobin基因克隆到酵母表达载体pPICZαA,于毕赤酵母中表达,得到了分子量约为32kD的重组calobin蛋白,经甲醇诱导培养,表达产物可获得3.5g/L的高表达量。重组蛋白经过阴离子交换柱Q-Sepharose Fast Flow和分子筛Sephacryl-S-100凝胶过滤层析等纯化步骤进行了初步纯化。纯化后的重组calobin可以在纤维蛋白原平板上形成水解圈,经SDS-PAGE实验显示,重组蛋白能水解纤维蛋白原的Aα链,产生一条约40kD左右的降解带。在实验中未能发现重组calobin对纤维蛋白原的凝固作用。     

Fibrin assembly. Lateral aggregation and the role of the two pairs of fibrinopeptides.

The structural basis of the wide variability of the physical properties of fibrin clots and the process of assembly of the clot were investigated by electron microscopy of fibers formed under various ionic conditions. In addition, highly specific proteolytic enzymes from different snake venoms were used to remove selectively only the A (batroxobin) or the B (venzyme) fibrinopeptides from fibrinogen, in contrast to thrombin, which removes both pairs. Fibers produced by cleavage of only the B fibrinopeptides displayed a characteristic band pattern indistinguishable from that of fibers formed upon removal of either the A fibrinopeptides alone or of both pairs. Computer modeling studies suggest that there is a unique molecular packing that gives rise to this fibrin band pattern. These findings imply that the release of either fibrinopeptide triggers similar modes of aggregation; the intermolecular binding sites can be localized to particular molecular domains. The diameters of fibers formed with each condition of enzyme, pH, salt concentration, and temperature were measured from electron micrographs. All fibers, except for those produced at both high ionic strength and pH, had about the same average diameter of 85 +/- 13 nm. The degree of lateral aggregation of the fibers themselves varied greatly, however; fibers aggregated more readily with cleavage of both pairs of fibrinopeptides and at lower pH and salt concentrations. The formation of such thick fiber bundles increases the stability of the clot and its resistance to proteolytic dissolution.     

Purification and characterization of a coagulant enzyme from Trimeresurus flavoviridis venom

An enzyme bearing thrombin-like specificity has been purified to homogeneity from the venom of Trimeresurus flavoviridis (the Habu snake). The enzyme is a monomer with a molecular weight of 23,500 as determined by analytical gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The protein contains approximately 210 amino acid residues and has a relatively high content of aspartic acid and glutamic acid. The isoelectric point was 4.8 and the extinction coefficient at 280 nm for a 1% solution was 11.5. The enzyme acted directly on fibrinogen to form a fibrin clot with 2.0 NIH units. Analysis by high performance liquid chromatography of enzyme-treated fibrinogen revealed the release of a peptide identical in composition to thrombin-induced fibrinopeptide A, but no peptide corresponding to fibrinopeptide B was detected. The enzyme showed esterase and amidase activities on synthetic substrates containing arginine. The enzyme exhibited higher activity toward tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester (TAME) but 6-times lower activity toward benzoyl-L-arginine p-nitroanilide when compared with bovin thrombin. The esterase activity was inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate and at a slower rate by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, but was least affected by tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone, showing that the enzyme is a serine protease like thrombin. The enzyme showed a bell-shaped pH dependence of kcat/Km for hydrolysis of TAME, with a maximum around pH 8.5.     

Fibrin assembly after fibrinopeptide A release in model systems and human plasma studied with magnetic birefringence.

Magnetically induced birefringence was used to monitor fibrin polymerization after the release of the small negatively charged A fibrinopeptides from human fibrinogen by the action of the snake-venom-derived enzymes reptilase and ancrod. A range of conditions was investigated. Fibrin polymerization in solutions of purified fibrinogen shows a distinct break near the gelation point. On addition of Ca2+ or albumin the lag period is shortened, fibre thickness is increased and the break in assembly almost vanishes, probably because both of these additives promote lateral aggregation. There are minor differences in the kinetics, depending on the venom enzyme used. The kinetics of fibrin assembly in model systems containing either Ca2+ or albumin and in human plasma with a largely dormant coagulation cascade are very similar. Therefore in the latter condition there is no significant alteration in the assembly process due to interaction between fibrin or the venom enzymes and any of the plasma proteins. When the cascade is activated, the polymerization progress curves have a character that resembles a combination of the reactions observed when the venom enzymes and endogenously generated thrombin separately induce coagulation, except for a region near gelation where, paradoxically, polymerization appears to be slower on activation. The low-angle neutron-diffraction patterns from oriented gels made with thrombin or reptilase are identical. Therefore at low resolution the packing of the monomers within fibres is the same when fibrinopeptide A only or both fibrinopeptides A and B are removed.     

Recombinant fibrinogen studies reveal that thrombin specificity dictates order of fibrinopeptide release

During cleavage of fibrinogen by thrombin, fibrinopeptide A (FpA) release precedes fibrinopeptide B (FpB) release. To examine the basis for this ordered release, we synthesized A'beta fibrinogen, replacing FpB with a fibrinopeptide A-like peptide, FpA' (G14V). Analyses of fibrinopeptide release from A'beta fibrinogen showed that FpA release and FpA' release were similar; the release of either peptide followed simple first-order kinetics. Specificity constants for FpA and FpA' were similar, demonstrating that these peptides are equally competitive substrates for thrombin. In the presence of Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro, an inhibitor of fibrin polymerization, the rate of FpB release from normal fibrinogen was reduced 3-fold, consistent with previous data; in contrast, the rate of FpA' release from A'beta fibrinogen was unaffected. Thus, with A'beta fibrinogen, fibrinopeptide release from the beta chain is similar to fibrinopeptide release from the alpha chain. We conclude that the ordered release of fibrinopeptides is dictated by the specificity of thrombin for its substrates. We analyzed polymerization, following changes in turbidity, and found that polymerization of A'beta fibrinogen was similar to that of normal fibrinogen. We analyzed clot structure by scanning electron microscopy and found that clots from A'beta fibrinogen were similar to clots from normal fibrinogen. We conclude that premature release of the fibrinopeptide from the N terminus of the beta chain does not affect polymerization of fibrinogen.     

Characterization of clotting factors from Agkistrodon acutus venom

1. Four clotting factors, Cf-1(C), Cf-2(C), Cf-1(T) and Cf-2(T) were isolated from Agkistrodon acutus (collected on mainland China and Taiwan) venom by Komori et al. (1987). It was reported that all factors possessed coagulant activity in the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, although they showed different chemical properties and antigenicities. 2. Their role in the clot formation system was clarified and compared with that of thrombin. Clotting factors from A. acutus venom released only fibrinopeptide A from the A alpha chain of fibrinogen, while thrombin released fibrinopeptide A and B from the A alpha and B beta chains. 3. Cf-1(C) and Cf-2(T), like thrombin, rapidly activated factor XIII in the presence of calcium ions, whereas Cf-2(C) and Cf-1(T) had little effect on factor XIII. These effects are shown by Cf-1(C) and Cf-2(T) forming a clot that remained insoluble in 8 M urea or 0.44 M monochloroacetic acid, whereas Cf-2(C) and Cf-1(T) formed a soluble clot in these agents.     

Decreased lateral aggregation of a variant recombinant fibrinogen provides insight into the polymerization mechanism

We analyzed the polymerization of BbetaA68T fibrinogen, the recombinant counterpart of fibrinogen Naples, a variant known to have decreased thrombin binding. When polymerized with equal thrombin concentrations, BbetaA68T fibrinogen had a longer lag time and lower rate of lateral aggregation, V(max), than normal recombinant fibrinogen, but a similar final turbidity. At thrombin concentrations that equalized the rates of fibrinopeptide A release, BbetaA68T fibrinogen polymerized with a lag time and V(max) similar to normal, but reached a significantly lower final turbidity. Similar results were produced when BbetaA68T was polymerized with Ancrod, which cleaves fibrinopeptide A at the same rate from either fibrinogen, and when BbetaA68T desA monomers were polymerized. The polymerization of desAB fibrin monomers, which circumvents fibrinopeptide release, was the same for both fibrinogens. We confirmed that turbidity was indicative of fiber thickness by scanning electron microscopy of fibrin clots. Here, we present the first experimental evidence of fibrin polymerization with a normal period of protofibril formation and rate of lateral aggregation, but with a significantly decreased extent of lateral aggregation. We conclude that the decreased lateral aggregation seen in BbetaA68T fibrinogen is due to an altered step in the enzymatic phase of its polymerization process. We propose that during normal polymerization a subtle conformational change in the E domain occurs, between the release of FpA and FpB, and that this change modulates the mechanism of lateral aggregation. Without this change, the lateral aggregation of BbetaA68T fibrinogen is impaired such that variant clots have thinner fibers than normal clots.     

Isolation and characterization of fibrinogenase from western diamondback rattlesnake venom and its comparison to the thrombin-like enzyme, crotalase

A new type of fibrinogenase was isolated from the venom of the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox). Unlike thrombin, the newly isolated fibrinogenase did not cause formation of a fibrin clot. Various properties of the fibrinogenase we isolated were compared with crotalase isolated from the venom of C. adamanteus. It was found that fibrinogenase has considerable similarity to crotalase isolated by Markland and Damus in 1971. Crotalase is a thrombin-like enzyme and produces a fibrin clot from fibrinogen. The A alpha chain of fibrinogen was first split and the B beta chain was cleaved later. The fact that no fibrin clot forms indicates that the cleavage sites in A alpha and B beta chains of fibrinogen must be different from thrombin sites. The fibrinogenase also released bradykinin by interacting with plasma proteins. It hydrolyzed TAME (p-toluenesulfonyl-L-arginine methyl ester), BAEE (N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester). TLME (N-tosyllysine methyl ester) but not BAA (N-benzoylarginine amide), TAA (N-tosylarginineamide) or ATEE (N-acetyltyrosine ethyl ester). The enzyme is an acidic protein with pI of 4.6 and a mol. wt of 31,000. It consists of 272 total amino acid residues, 21% of which are acidic amino acids. Fibrinogenase is a specific form of protease. A newly liberated amino group after hydrolysis of dimethyl-casein can be detected by the reagent trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS). Fibrinogenase differs from trypsin as the soybean trypsin inhibitor does not inhibit the enzyme's action.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

蕲蛇酶抗栓作用机理的初步分析

动物实验结果示,蕲蛇酶能裂解纤维蛋白原成为可溶性纤维蛋白,降低血中纤维蛋白原浓度,抑制血小板聚集,对抗在酶诱导的血浆凝块订的血浆凝块回缩,因而发挥防血栓形成作用。对纤维蛋白平板试验无直接溶纤作用,但能增加实验动物血中ｔ－ＰＡ活性。可能通过促使血管内皮细胞释放ｔ－ＰＡ而发挥溶栓作用。     

Role of D and E domains in the migration of vascular smooth muscle cells into fibrin gels

The structure of fibrin plays an important role in the organization of thrombi, the development of atherosclerosis, and restenosis after PTCA. In this study, we examined the mechanisms of the migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) into fibrin gels, using an in vitro assay system. Cultured SMCs from bovine fetal aortic media migrated into fibrin gels prepared with thrombin, which cleaves both fibrinopeptides A and B from fibrinogen, without other chemotactic stimuli. Both desA fibrin gels prepared with batroxobin, which cleaves only fibrinopeptide A, and desB fibrin gels prepared with Agkistrodon contortrix thrombin-like enzyme (ACTE), which cleaves only fibrinopeptide B, similarly induced the migration of SMCs compared to fibrin gels prepared with thrombin. These results suggest that the cleavage of fibrinopeptides is not necessary, but rather that the three-dimensional structure of the gel may be important for the migration of SMCs. Furthermore, gels prepared with protamine sulfate, which forms fibrin-like gels non-enzymatically, similarly induced the migration of SMCs compared to the gels prepared with thrombin. Both anti-fibrin(ogen) fragment D and anti-fibrin(ogen) E antibodies inhibited the migration of SMCs into fibrin gels, suggesting that both the D and E domains of fibrin(ogen) are involved in the migration of SMCs into fibrin gels. The addition of GRGDS, a synthetic RGD-containing peptide, but not that of GRGES, a control peptide, partially inhibited the migration of SMCs into fibrin gels, suggesting that the migration of SMCs into fibrin gels is at least in part dependent on the RGD-containing region of the alpha chain. The migration of SMCs into fibrin gels was also inhibited by a monoclonal antibody for integrin alpha v beta 3 and alpha 5 beta 1, indicating that migration is dependent on these integrins. Furthermore, both fibrin(ogen) fragments D and E inhibited the migration of SMCs into fibrin gels, suggesting that these fragments, generated during fibrino(geno)lysis, may be relevant in the regulation of SMC migration into fibrin gels.     

Fibrinogen — fibrin transformation: 2. Influence of temperature,pH and of various enzymes on the intermediate structures

Light scattering from fibrin structures, obtained by exposure of fibrinogen to thrombin, Batroxobin (Reptilase) or coagulant fraction extracted from Contortrix venom at 20 and and 37°C, show in every case that rod-like intermediates are formed in the beginning of the aggregation process. The fibrils differ in the extent of branching and in lateral aggregation. Contortrix enzyme causes the highest branching density but the lowest lateral aggregation. Thrombin and Batroxobin give almost identical results. A change of temperature from 20 to 37°C yields an increase in branching density and lateral aggregation for the fibrin structures induced by the two snake venoms. With thrombin, however, the branching density decreases with the elevated temperature while the lateral aggregation strongly increases. Mostly opaque clots are obtained, with the exception of the clots induced by thrombin at 37°C, where a fine or traslucent gel is obtained. A very low extent of branching and translucent gels are also found with thrombin at 20°C and pH 7.3 but at pH 9.5 no correlation between a preferential cleavange of fibrinopeptide B and the lateral aggregation could be detected. The opacity is discussed as being the result of inhomogeneity in both branching and lateral aggregation. A quantitative analysis of the angular dependence of the scattered light indicates that non-activated human fibrinogen exists at least in the two conformations of a long rod, L = 95 ± 5 nm, and a short rod of 47.5 ± 5 nm, with mass fractions of ～ 70 and 30%, respectively. Only the long rod conformation of the monomer is built in the fibril. The model of a pure end-to-end aggregation is shown to be unlikely and the possibility of an overlapping of the monomeric rods over a region of ～ 8 nm is discussed.