Abstract: An ex vivo method analyzes coagulation function of a subject's blood sample. The method includes providing a whole-blood sample taken from a subject and added with an anti-coagulant substance, treating the blood sample with fluorescent probes, introducing the recalcified blood sample in an analytical device having at least one perfusion chamber, and alternately acquiring at least two series of fluorescence images. The pixels of the acquired images are binarized, followed by generating first and seconds curves of fluorescence intensity vs. time for the formation of the platelet aggregate and of fibrin. Then performing one or more of: generating a first integrated density curve, generating a curve of particle number vs. time, generating a curve of particle size vs. time, generating values of maximum slope and of maximum acceleration, generating values of F/P ratio, generating a lag time value representing the fibrin formation time, and generating area under the curve values.

Abstract: A perfusion device is for evaluating the risk of thrombotic and hemorrhagic diseases linked to blood coagulation processes. In particular, a cartridge is for conducting a dynamic “ex-vivo” evaluation method of the coagulation process in a subjects blood sample, including at least one perfusion chamber, a well for loading the blood sample and reagents, an inclined ascending microchannel connecting the well to a first end of the perfusion chamber and an inclined descending microchannel placed at a second end. Preferably at least one perfusion chamber includes two half-channels of different width, placed in series or in parallel, or the cartridge includes at least two perfusion chambers placed in parallel. At least two of the perfusion chambers have a different width.

Abstract: A polypeptide which is capable of inhibiting binding of von Willebrand factor (vWF) to platelets and comprising an amino acid sequence that corresponds to the amino acid sequence of that fragment of mature von Willebrand factor subunit having its amino terminus at about Cys.sup.509 and its carboxy terminus at about Cys.sup.695, said polypeptide comprising optionally a second and/or a third domain, the second domain corresponding to the amino acid sequence of that fragment of mature vWF subunit having its amino terminus at about Thr.sup.450 and its carboxy terminus at about Tyr.sup.508, or a subfragment or combination of subfragments thereof, and a third domain corresponding to the amino acid sequence of that fragment of mature vWF subunit having its amino terminus at about Asp.sup.696 and its carboxy terminus at about Gly.sup.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting platelet transfusion refractoriness comprising administering third-party platelets to a patient whose platelet glycoprotein Ib.alpha. polypeptides expressed from the patient's DNA have been determined to have either threonine or methionine residues, or both, at amino acid residue position 145 thereof, the third-party platelets having expressed at residue position 145 of the glycoprotein Ib.alpha. polypeptide thereof amino acids that are the same as those expressed on the glycoprotein Ib.alpha. polypeptides of the patient's platelets. Also, an antibody, or a fragment thereof, in substantially pure form having as its target epitope a domain of glycoprotein Ib.alpha., the affinity of the antibody, or fragment thereof, for said epitope being dependent on the identity of the amino acid residue at position 145 of the glycoprotein.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting platelet transfusion refractoriness comprising administering third-party platelets to a patient whose platelet glycoprotein Ib.alpha. polypeptides expressed from the patient's DNA have been determined to have either threonine or methionine residues, or both, at amino acid residue position 145 thereof, said third-party platelets having expressed at residue position 145 of the glycoprotein Ib.alpha. polypeptide thereof amino acids that are the same as those expressed on the glycoprotein Ib.alpha. polypeptides of the patient's platelets. Also, an antibody, or a fragment thereof, in substantially pure form having as its target epitope a domain of glycoprotein Ib.alpha., the affinity of said antibody, or fragment thereof, for said epitope being dependent on the identity of the amino acid residue at position 145 of said glycoprotein.

Abstract: Recombinant DNA expression vectors encoding a peptide which inhibits binding of von Willebrand factor to platelet membrane glycoprotein Ib, said vector including a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequence from HIS.sup.1 to LEU.sup.610, inclusive, of the amino terminal region of platelet membrane glycoprotein Ib.alpha.

Abstract: This invention provides a peptide fragment of human von Willebrand Factor (vWF) and sub-fragment thereof isolated as enzymtic digestion products from naturally occurring human vWF, or isolated from synthetic peptide mixtures or isolated from lysates of organisms capable of producing recombinant human vWF. The fragments and sub-fragments are useful in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disorders by virtue of their ability to inhibit the binding of vWF to platelets, heparin and/or collagen.

Abstract: Peptides of the general formulaH.sub.2 N-(Ch)-Arg-Gly-Asp-(Cx)-Hand the derivatives thereof described herein, wherein (Cx) and (Ch) each contains 1 to 20 amino acid residues and (Ch) contains at least one Lys or Arg residue, or at least one of each, inhibit platelet-fibrinogen binding and platelet-platelet aggregation and are thus useful inhibitors of cell adhesion.