Identification of fibrin structures by comparison of diffusion coefficients obtained from experimental data with those calculated for model structures with different lengths and thicknesses. (A) Diffusion coefficients obtained from experimental data. Calculations were based on size (▴) or on the velocities (□) of moving structures. (B) Diffusion coefficients are shown for one protofibril (■), 2 protofibrils (○), 3 protofibrils (♦), 4 protofibrils (▿), and 5 protofibrils (●). The dashed lines connecting panels A and B show the correlations between the measured (A) and calculated (B) diffusion coefficients, so it is possible to deduce what the structures observed could be (arrows at the right end of the dashed lines). For example, the top dashed line, for one of the largest diffusion coefficients measured, 3.8 μm2/s, corresponds to a protofibril with a length of 0.54 μm. The lower dashed line is another example showing the possible fibrin structures that correspond to a diffusion rate of 2.4 μm2/s, a single protofibril with a length of 0.95 μm, 2 laterally aggregated protofibrils with a length of 0.62 μm, or 3 laterally aggregated protofibrils with a length of 0.67 μm.
