In the present study we used an in-vitro technique to examine initiation and propagation of blood coagulation at the surface of tantalum coronary stents exposed to flowing platelet-rich and platelet-free plasma. The time course of factor IXa production at the surface of the stent was not influenced by platelets. In spite of a significant factor IXa production, no thrombin activity was detected when the tantalum stent was exposed to platelet-free plasma; only when the stent was exposed to platelet-rich plasma was extensive thrombin production observed. These findings indicate that tantalum triggers blood coagulation, but that (adherent) platelets are essential for thrombin generation. Heparin-coated tantalum stents exposed to flowing platelet-rich plasma showed that factor IXa generation was slightly reduced compared with the bare stent. However, the heparin coating drastically delayed the onset of thrombin generation and largely reduced the steady-state production of thrombin. We found a clear relationship between the antithrombin binding capacity and the antithrombogenic potential of the heparin-coated stents. The mode of action of immobilized heparin is thought to abrogate thrombin generation by inhibiting thrombin-dependent positive feedback reactions at the surface of the coronary stent.