Combined experimental and simulation study of blood clot formation

A multiscale model of blood clot (thrombus) formation is extended by adding a sub-model of the tissue factor (TF) pathway of blood coagulation to provide more biologically relevant description of coagulation process. A combination of experimental approach, image analysis and a multiscale modeling is used for studying role of factor VII and fibrin in limiting growth of a blood clot. The simulations obtained using new extended model, generated a hypothesis that formation of a fiber cap is capable of stopping blood clot growth by blocking release of thrombin, causing activation of platelets, into a blood stream. This was confirmed by comparison with reconstructed three dimensional experimental images of clots formed in mice with normal and limited levels of factor VII.