MCB 181R Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Erik Adolf Von Willebrand, Von Willebrand Factor, Von Willebrand Disease
15 Jan 2015
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Von willebrand"s disease is a very common blood disorder that affects about 1% of the world"s population. Dr. erik von willebrand, a finnish physician, was the first to diagnose an inherited bleeding disorder. Many doctors regularly screen women with menorrhagia for von willebrand"s because of their menstrual cycle. An abnormal blood flow is one of the symptoms of this disease. Other symptoms that are found in both men and women include bleeding from the gums, bleeding in urine or stool, minor cuts and bruising easily. This disease is caused by a mutation in the von willebrand factor, vwf, gene. This gene basically gives the immune system instructions to make a blood clotting protein called von willebrand factor, which makes blood clots. For example, after an injury, clots are supposed to protect the body by sealing off destroyed blood vessels. This prevents an excessive amount of blood from being lost.
