Heparin (Hep) can be considered as a special type of heparan sulfate (HS). Unlike HS, which is widely present on the cell membrane surface and extracellular matrix, Hep is mainly found in the accumulation granules of mast cells, although the specific biological function of Hep remains unclear. Compared with HS, Hep has a higher degree of sulfation, with a sulfate/carboxyl ratio of 2.7, and mainly contains iduronic acid (IdoUA), accounting for 90%, and such structural features endow Hep with much higher anticoagulant activity than HS. On the one hand, Hep can bind to antithrombin III to inhibit the activity of thrombin, and on the other hand, it can inhibit the activity of the coagulation factor FXa, thereby effectively preventing postoperative thrombosis. Since its discovery in 1935, Hep has been widely used in clinical treatment as the most important anticoagulant.

Products