COMPUTER AIDED DETERMINATION OF MODEL STRUCTURE FOR THROMBUS KINETICS

Abstract An experimental goat preparation is being used to study the growth and dissolution of thrombus on different biomaterials. The incorporation of 111 Indium labeled platelets into the thrombus enables the time course of tne thrombus’ growth and dissolution to be observed externally with a scintillation camera. The underlying mechanisms for the thrombus time evolution are not sufficiently well understood to allow derivation of a mathematical model from knowledge of thrombus growth biochemistry. A general thrombus-embolus model was hypothesized and a specific structure determined empirically by using a stepwise regression procedure on a class of submodels. With this approach, we have obtained a specific model structure which is identical to a single enzyme reaction equation. This model may suggest experimental methods to obtain more specific information about the underlying biochemical mechanisms.