Factor Xa: Thrombokinase from Paul Morawitz to J Haskell Milstone

Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

In 1904 Paul Morawitz postulated that an enzyme, which he named thrombokinase, would be the primary activator of prothrombin. Fifty years passed before J Haskell Milstone isolated, purified and functionally characterized the enzyme we now call Factor Xa. This essay summarizes Milstone’s work on thrombokinase, and finds context for why his efforts succeeded while others struggled.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    p. 301–2 in [4]

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    p.413 in [13]

  3. 3.

    p.438 in [13]

  4. 4.

    p.421 in [13]

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  1. Department of Dermatology, Yale Medical School, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT, 06520-8059, USA

    Leonard M. Milstone

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  1. Leonard M. Milstone
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Correspondence to Leonard M. Milstone.

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Milstone, L.M. Factor Xa: Thrombokinase from Paul Morawitz to J Haskell Milstone. J Thromb Thrombolysis (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11239-021-02387-6

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Keywords

  • Thrombokinase
  • Factor X
  • Coagulation
  • Enzyme
  • Zymogen
  • Protein purification