Fig. 4

Design schematic illustration of the preparation of cRGD-PDI NPs and its mechanism for specifically lightening early thrombus by PAI. For PAI, 5% FeCl3 was applied to the jugular vein and diffused through the vessel wall, resulting in the exposure of basement membrane components to circulating blood cells. Platelets were then activated to deform, adhere, and aggregate together to form early thrombus during the vascular intima injury. The initial resting integrin GPIIb/IIIa on the platelets transformed into a high-affinity state in early thrombus and finally became a low-affinity state when the early thrombus grew into an old thrombus. cRGD-PDI NPs can target GPIIb/IIIa in early thrombus while inefficiently in old thrombus, resulting in selectively lightening early thrombus by PAI. Reproduced with permission from[84]. Copyright 2017, American Chemical Society