Von Willebrand Factor (vWF)

Von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a blood glycoprotein involved in hemostasis. It is deficient or defective in von Willebrand disease and is involved in a large number of other diseases, including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, Heyde"""s syndrome, and possibly hemolytic-uremic syndrome. It is a large multimeric glycoprotein present in blood plasma and produced constitutively in endothelium (in the Weibel-Palade bodies), megakaryocytes (α-granules of platelets), and subendothelial connective tissue. Besides, it is not an enzyme and therefore has no catalytic activity. Its primary function is binding to other proteins, particularly Factor VIII and it is important in platelet adhesion to wound sites.