blood clotting

• what can a blood clot be known as?

  thrombus
• process of blood clotting?

  1. damage to endothelium of artery= platelets attach
  2. prothrombin(enzyme) released from platelets/damages tissue
  3. enzyme in presence of calcium ions and vitamin K converts thromboplastin -> thrombin (enzyme)
  4. thrombin: fibrinogen -> fibrin, forming mesh of insoluble fibres
  5. mesh traps red blood cells and platelets, forming a blood clot.
• what is a platelet?

  type of blood cell with no nucleus, flares up and sticks to exposed collagen
• what is thromboplastin?

  soluble enzyme, catalyses conversion of prothrombin -> thrombin
• what is prothrombin?

  soluble plasma protein
• what is thrombin?

  enzyme that converts fibrinogen -> fibrin
• what is fibrinogen?

  soluble plasma protein
• what is fibrin?

  insoluble fibrous protein, forms mesh to trap red blood cells