Coagulation factor VII (FVII) (FVII)

Coagulation factor VII is a vitamin K-dependent serine protease that plays a pivotal role in the initiation of the extrinsic coagulation cascade. Synthesized in the liver, it circulates in the plasma primarily as a single-chain zymogen (Source: UniProt). Upon vascular injury, it binds to subendothelial tissue factor (TF), forming a catalytic complex that activates factors IX and X, leading to a burst of thrombin and subsequent fibrin formation (Source: NIH). Deficiencies in this factor lead to a rare autosomal recessive bleeding disorder, while its recombinant activated form (rFVIIa) is a critical therapeutic agent for managing bleeding in hemophilia patients with inhibitors (Source: PubMed). Therapeutic targeting also includes the use of anticoagulants like warfarin, which reduce the functional levels of factor VII to prevent thrombosis (Source: StatPearls).

Other names

ProconvertinSerum prothrombin conversion acceleratorSPCAStable factorAutoprothrombin I

Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) acts as a bypassing agent by binding to tissue factor at the site of injury or directly to activated platelets to activate factor X, thereby generating thrombin independently of factors VIII and IX (Source: DrugBank, StatPearls). Vitamin K antagonists inhibit the enzyme vitamin K epoxide reductase, which prevents the gamma-carboxylation of factor VII, rendering it unable to bind calcium and phospholipids required for its activity (Source: PubChem).