Fibrinogen binding on human platelets. Influence of different heparins and of pentosane polysulfate.

Unfractionated heparin increased the binding of fibrinogen on ADP-treated platelets. The results varied according to both, the platelets of the donor and the kind of heparin preparation used. Beef lung heparin was more active than porcine intestinal mucosa heparin (p less than 0.02). A fraction of low molecular weight low sulfated heparin, did not significantly increase the binding of fibrinogen, except in one case for which the binding of fibrinogen to platelets was largely increased by standard heparin. On the contrary, pentosane polysulfate, a sulfated polysaccharide (of low molecular weight) significantly increased the binding of fibrinogen (p less than 0.01).