The formation of thromboplastin in human blood

Platelet Phosphatides: Their Separation, Identification, and Clotting Activity1

“…The concept of blood thromboplastin was clarified when it was shown by Biggs, Douglas and Macfarlane (20,21) that normal blood could produce its own prothrombin converting activity from platelet and protein precursors. This idea resulted in the development of the thromboplastin generation test (22).…”

A Labile Serum Factor Clotting Defect: Its Demonstration by the Thromboplastin Generation Test and Its Clinical Significance*

“…Biggs, Douglas, and MIacfarlane found that a low concentration of thrombin, too small to clot plasma but which would clot fibrinogen in about 150 seconds, accelerated normal thromboplastin generation (22). Miale and Wilson suggested that the thrombic activity observed to develop in the incubation tube of the TGT might have importance in thromboplastin formation (23).…”

Blood Coagulation and the Biochemist

“…After surface contact, blood does clot quite effectively, without added thromboplastin, but it fails to do so in a number of naturally occuring clotting defects, including haemophilia. We thought that " thromboplastin" must be generated by the blood itself (Biggs, Douglas and Macfarlane 1953), and the so-called thromboplastin generation test was devised to study the process (Biggs and Douglas 1953). But it was found that the process differed from prothrombin activation by tissue factor, since Factor VII was not required.…”