Summary
Among others, the following events occurring at certain liquid/wettable solid interfaces
were studied with the recording ellipsometer :
A. removal of fibrinogen films by plasmin, by normal intact plasma, and by Streptokinase
plus factor XII deficient plasma ;
B. adsorption and desorption of normal plasma, and of factor XII deficient plasma
by factor XII or Streptokinase, and the effect of epsilon-aminocaproic acid on these
types of desorption ; and
C. adsorption of rabbit anti-human fibrinogen serum onto human fibrinogen films and
onto films deposited by human plasma and other mixtures. All findings thus far appear
compatible with the following interpretation. The wettable surfaces used in this study
adsorb fibrinogen out of plasma as well as out of fibrinogen solutions. A few minutes
after factor XII is activated, the plasma develops a temporary ability to remove a
major part of such a fibrinogen film. The remaining part undergoes further changes
without further reduction in thickness.
“Activator”, formed by addition of Streptokinase to factor XII deficient plasma, is
also able to remove fibrinogen film, whether formed by adsorption out of fibrinogen
solutions or out of the factor XII deficient plasma itself. The ‘‘activator” activity
is inhibited immediately by epsilon-aminocaproic acid, while the activity created
by activated factor XII is not.
Relationship of present findings to surface activation of factor XII and to the adhesion
of platelets is discussed.
