Thromb Haemost 2014; 112(04): 640-648
DOI: 10.1160/TH14-01-0053
Theme Issue Article
Schattauer GmbH

The coagulation system and its function in early immune defense

Tom van der Poll
1   Center of Experimental and Molecular Medicine & Division of Infectious Diseases, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
,
Heiko Herwald
2   Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Biomedical Center, Lund, Sweden
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 18 January 2014

Accepted after minor revision: 18 February 2014

Publication Date:
04 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

Blood coagulation has a Janus-faced role in infectious diseases. When systemically activated, it can cause serious complications associated with high morbidity and mortality. However, coagulation is also part of the innate immune system and its local activation has been found to play an important role in the early host response to infection. Though the latter aspect has been less investigated, phylogenetic studies have shown that many factors involved in coagulation have ancestral origins which are often combined with anti-microbial features. This review gives a general overview about the most recent advances in this area of research also referred to as immunothrombosis.