The vascular endothelium, which normally maintains blood flow and resists clotting and inflammation, can become overactive during COVID-19.

This overactivation can lead to multiorgan complications and long-term effects associated with Long Covid.

“Disrupted endothelial function underlies the multiorgan complications of COVID-19”

“Navigating social distancing requirements that complicated lab work, Akassoglou and her collaborators conducted a series of experiments in mice to explore the pernicious role of the coronavirus’s spike protein.

They discovered that beyond serving as the virus’s “key” to enter cells, spike binds with a blood clotting factor called fibrinogen, creating structurally abnormal, inflammation-promoting clumps of fibrin — the insoluble material that forms the mesh-like structures essential for wound healing.

High levels of these abnormal clots not only push the body’s clotting system into overdrive, increasing clot formation and inflammation, but also suppress natural killer cells — the immune system’s virus-clearing soldiers.”