Figure 2. Fibrin network structure correlates with bleeding risk in FXI-deficient patients.
Clots were formed in a blinded fashion by recalcification and addition of TF and phospholipids in the presence of AlexFluor488-conjugated fibrinogen. Laser scanning confocal microscopy was performed as described in Methods. A) Representative confocal micrographs (z-projections of 30 individual slices) of clots formed in plasma from control individuals and FXI-deficient patients (non-bleeder and bleeder, as indicated). B) Fibrin network density (arbitrary units, A.U.) for controls and FXI-deficient patients (non-bleeders and bleeders, as indicated). The boxes enclose 50% of the data with the median value displayed as a horizontal line, and lines enclose the IQD. Open symbols represent points whose value falls more than 1.5-fold outside the IQD.