Thrombus growth in wild-type and FgγΔ5 mice. Times after FeCl3-induced injury are indicated in white. Blood flow was from left to right. In the wild-type (top row) and the FgγΔ5 (bottom row) mice, single fluorescent platelets are seen to adhere in the arterioles at 4 minutes after injury. In the wild-type vessel, stable thrombi grew (15 minutes) leading to complete vessel occlusion at 16 minutes. Several well-anchored small thrombi can be seen (15 minutes), but embolization was not observed. In the FgγΔ5 mouse, the thrombi grew faster (brighter and larger thrombi can be seen at 13 minutes). However, thrombi were not stable in blood flow, and emboli were frequently released by rupture through the center of thrombi (2 sequential panels taken within one second at 13 minutes). The arrows in these panels show 2 emboli formed in the first panel that translocated downstream. One is still seen in the second panel. The vessel was occluded at 14 minutes by an occlusive thrombus formed at the site of injury. The sequence of events is better visualized in the accompanying video clips on the Blood website; see the Supplemental Video link at the top of the online article.
