American Society of Hirudotherapy

Effects of hirudin (thrombin specific inhibitor) in zebrafish embryos: a developmental role for thrombin

Developmental biology article published in Blood Cells, Molecules & Diseases (1997)

Last Updated: June 18, 2026Reviewed by: ASH Editorial Board
Research article — evidence reviewArticle reference
Evidence: Preclinical (animal)Salivary PharmacologyJagadeeswaran P, Liu YC, Eddy CA · Blood cells, molecules & diseases, 1997

Abstract

To address the role of thrombin in early embryogenesis, hirudin, a thrombin specific inhibitor was microinjected into developing zebrafish embryos to inhibit the temporal activity of thrombin during early embryonic development. We found that the fibrin forming activity is inhibited by the presence of hirudin. We also found that hirudin affects development in zebrafish embryos suggesting thrombin's role in early embryogenesis. This ability to inhibit thrombin activity in developing embryos should facilitate studies on identifying signal transduction pathways affected by thrombin during embryogenesis.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Publication typeJournal Article
Indexed MeSH termsAnimalsAntithrombinsEmbryo, NonmammalianEnzyme ActivationHirudinsMicroinjectionsThrombinZebrafish

Summary

Microinjection of hirudin into zebrafish embryos inhibits fibrin formation and disrupts development, demonstrating a developmental role for thrombin and validating hirudin as a tool to dissect coagulation cascade signaling.

Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy

This study microinjected hirudin, a thrombin-specific inhibitor, into developing zebrafish embryos to investigate thrombin's role during early embryogenesis. The investigators found that hirudin inhibited fibrin-forming activity and affected embryonic development, suggesting thrombin participates in early developmental processes and that this approach could facilitate future studies on thrombin-affected signal transduction pathways. For ASH's domain, the abstract uses hirudin as a molecular tool in developmental biology but does not discuss leech origin, hirudotherapy, or therapeutic anticoagulation. Caveat: this is a preclinical animal study focused on basic developmental biology with no hirudotherapy or clinical application; its relevance to ASH is indirect at best.

Citation

Effects of hirudin (thrombin specific inhibitor) in zebrafish embryos: a developmental role for thrombin.

Jagadeeswaran P, Liu YC, Eddy CA · Blood cells, molecules & diseases, 1997

DOI

Added to ASH library: May 26, 2026 · Site last updated: June 18, 2026

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