Fibrinogen

Fibrinogen, also known as factor I, is a plasma protein that can be transformed by thrombin into a fibrin gel "the clot". Fibrinogen is synthesized in the liver and circulates in the plasma as a disulfide-bonded dimer of 3 subunit chains. Fibrinogen function abnormalities, dysfibrinogenemias, may be inherited (congenital) or acquired. Patients with dysfibrinogenemia are generally asymptomatic. However, the congenital dysfibrinogenemias are more likely than the acquired to be associated with bleeding or thrombotic disorders.