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COAGULASE
Any bacterialcomponent or product which causes coagulation in plasma containing an anticoagulant such as citrate, heparin or oxalate. Coagulases are produced by determined staphylococci and by yersinia pestis. Staphylococci manufacture two types of coagulase: staphylocoagulase, a freecoagulase that produces true clotting of plasma, and staphylococcal clumping factor, a boundcoagulase in the cellwall that induces clumping of cells in the presence of fibrinogen.