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Heparin
A highly acidic mucopolysaccharide formed of equal parts of sulfated D-glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid with sulfaminic bridges. The molecular weight ranges from six to twenty thousand. Heparin occurs in and is obtained from liver, lung, mast cells, etc., of vertebrates. Its function is unknown, but it is used to prevent blood clotting in vivo and vitro, in the form of many different salts.
Related Terms
glycosaminoglycans
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Heparin
Brand names: Calciparine; HEP-LOCK U/P; Liquaemin; used to decrease the clotting ability of the blood and help prevent harmful clots from forming in the blood vessels; does not dissolve blood clots that have already formed, but it may prevent clots from becoming larger and causing more serious problems. It is a highly acidic mucopolysaccharide formed of equal parts of sulfated D-glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid with sulfaminic bridges. The molecular weight ranges from six to twenty thousand. Heparin occurs in and is obtained from liver, lung, mast cells, etc., of vertebrates. Its function is unknown, but it is used to prevent blood clotting in vivo and vitro, in the form of many different salts.
Related Terms
Glycosaminoglycans
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