In 1976, Johan Stenflo isolated protein C from bovine plasma and identified it as a vitamin K-dependent protein. Activated protein C was soon recognised as an important natural anticoagulant. This discovery deepened understanding of why some people are prone to dangerous clots.

Protein C revealed that the body contains its own anti-clotting wisdom as well as its clotting machinery. For poets, it is a precise biological example of balance, restraint and protection within the self, influencing contemporary works that delve into themes of vulnerability and resilience.