Tissue factor and cardiomyocytes

Abstract

Tissue factor, the initiator of blood coagulation, plays a major role in the protection of several organs against bleeding. Cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts constitutively express tissue factor. Besides its role for maintain cardiac hemostasis TF has been suggested to have several other important functions in the cardiac muscle. This review summarizes the different roles of TF in the heart with a special focus on pathological conditions.