Microrheology and structural quantification of hypercoagulable clots

Abstract: We propose a combination of microrheological and structural characterizations of fibrin networks to study blood hypercoagulability. Fibrin is the central element of coagulation as its polymerization creates the network of fibers in which platelets and red blood cells are included. This is a controlled process via cascades between various coagulation factors. An alteration in the concentrations of coagulation factors and inhibitors will lead to hypocoagulation or hypercoagulation. These changes in the conditions of polymerization of fibrin lead to the formation of networks with different architectures and thus modify its mechanical behavior. We have performed microrheology by recording Brownian motion of microbeads caught in the network of clots. The structure was quantified under the same polymerization conditions with confocal microscopy images. We have tested our approach by adding fibrinogen to the plasma, which leads to a stiffer, denser network with shorter fibers. The addition of coagulation Factor VIII at 400% induces the same correlated trend between a denser network and a higher modulus. This comparative approach is promising for the study of other conditions altering clot formation and may lead to a new diagnosis approach for hypercoagulability.