SummaryThe extent of inhibition of thrombin was re-examined as a consequence of the sequence of addition of thrombin and antithrombin III to a column of heparin immobilized on agarose. With the use of pure enzyme, pure inhibitor, and a highly sensitive chromogenic substrate, no appreciable difference in the extent of thrombin inhibition was observed between the two sequences of addition. These observations, together with a demonstrated sensitivity of the method to variations in experimental protocol, challenge the conclusions reached in an earlier work (Hatton and Regoeczi, Thromb. Res. 1977; 10:645) which utilized this experimental approach but which employed larger quantities of reactants and a less sensitive substrate.