Reaction-diffusion waves of blood coagulation

Math Biosci. 2017 Jun:288:130-139. doi: 10.1016/j.mbs.2017.03.008. Epub 2017 Mar 24.

Abstract

One of the main characteristics of blood coagulation is the speed of clot growth. In the current work we consider a mathematical model of the coagulation cascade and study existence, stability and speed of propagation of the reaction-diffusion waves of blood coagulation. We also develop a simplified one-equation model that reflects the main features of the thrombin wave propagation. For this equation we estimate the wave speed analytically. The resulting formulas provide a good approximation for the speed of wave propagation in a more complex model as well as for the experimental data.

Keywords: Blood coagulation; Reaction-diffusion wave; Speed of propagation.

MeSH terms

  • Blood Coagulation*
  • Diffusion*
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological*
  • Thrombin / metabolism

Substances

  • Thrombin