[The mechanism of blood cell sedimentation. XVIII. Sedimentation effect of fibrinogen plasminolysis products].

Various high molecular weight plasmin degradation products of fibrinogen were isolated by chromatographic procedures and investigated to what extent they influence the sedimentation rate of erythrocytes in heparinized serum. Among the early plasminolysis products Fragment X accelerated the sedimentation rate considerably although it was less effective than fibrinogen. Fragment Y showed a weaker but clearly demonstrable agglomerine activity. The late plasminolysis products D and E were ineffective, if applied alone and in concentrations equivalent to the fibrinogen content of plasma. However, they promoted the sedimentation effect of fibrinogen. If present in considerably higher concentrations are Fragments D and E, in absence of fibrinogen, also accelerated the sedimentation rate of erythrocytes significantly. A mixture of D and E was not more effective than the single compounds.