The Factor VIII reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Factor VIII

Factor VIII (FVIII) is an essential clotting factor . The lack of normal FVIII causes Hemophilia A, an inherited bleeding disorder.

FVIII harvested from donated blood or Recombinant FVIII can be given to hemophiliacs to restore hemostasis. Thus, FVIII is also known as Anti-Hemophilic Factor.

FVIII is a glycoprotein synthesized and released into the bloodstream by the liver. In the circulating blood, it is bound to von Willebrand factor (vWF, also known as Factor VIII-related antigen) to form a stable complex. Upon activation by thrombin, it dissociates from the complex to interact with other clotting factors in the coagulation cascade, which eventually leads to the formation of a thrombus (blood clot). No longer protected by vWF, activated FVIII is proteolytically inactivated in the process (most prominently by activated Protein C) and quickly degraded.

External Link

• A review on Recombinant Factor VIII

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