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Figure 6 Speculative mechanism explaining the thrombus-dissolving effects of anti-glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa agents. This figure summarizes the possible mechanism by which anti-GP IIb/IIIa agents dissolve platelet thrombi formed on a collagen surface, although it is not clear whether von Willebrand factor (VWF), in addition to fibrinogen, also plays some role in stabilizing platelet thrombi. When blood containing one of the anti-GP IIb/IIIa agents began to be perfused, ligand bound with activated GP IIb/IIIa was replaced by the anti-GP IIb/IIIa agent. Parts of the platelet thrombi started to become detached when a certain number of ligands were replaced by anti-GP IIb/IIIa and the strength of the GP IIb/IIIa ligation was no longer sufficient to support the integrity of the thrombi. Details are explained in the "Discussion" section.