Figure 1. Illustration depicting sequential steps required for intra-arterial thrombosis.

Upon vessel wall injury, due to mechanical trauma or rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque, circulating platelets rapidly adhere to exposed subendothelial-bound VWF. This is followed by platelet activation and release of granule contents such as ADP, which further enhances the activation process in an autocrine and paracrine fashion. Consequently, αIIbβ3 can promote and stabilize platelet-platelet interactions resulting in the formation of a thrombus.