Can someone please give me a quick summary of blood clotting?

Question

I need to write a few sentences on the process of blood clotting (relatively short) and I don't know where to begin. Can someone please just give me a few sentences (including thrombin and prothrombin) describing how it is?

This is actually just for a Biology assignment...No big details...I already know what the parts are (e.g. platelets)

Answer 1

Coagulation is a complex process by which blood forms solid clots. It is an important part of hemostasis (the cessation of blood loss from a damaged vessel) whereby a damaged blood vessel wall is covered by a platelet- and fibrin-containing clot to stop bleeding and begin repair of the damaged vessel. Disorders of coagulation can lead to an increased risk of bleeding and/or clotting and embolism.

Coagulation is highly conserved throughout biology; in all mammals, coagulation involves both a cellular (platelet) and a protein (coagulation factor) component. The system in humans has been the most extensively researched and therefore the best understood.

Coagulation is initiated almost instantly after an injury to the blood vessel damages the endothelium (lining of the vessel). Platelets immediately form a hemostatic plug at the site of injury; this is called primary hemostasis. Secondary hemostasis occurs simultaneously—proteins in the blood plasma, called coagulation factors, respond in a complex cascade to form fibrin strands which strengthen the platelet plug.

Answer 2

Blood clotting is a natural process in which blood cells and fibrin strands rapidly form a clump to stop bleeding after a blood vessel has been injured. Eventually the clot will form a protective scab over a wounded blood vessel, allowing it to heal. If the body did not have the ability to form blood clots, people would bleed to death after even a minor cut.

Sometimes, however, blood clots form even when a person has not been injured. Although most blood clots tend to dissolve on their own with no long-term problems, there are situations in which blood clots can cause medical problems. Blood clots become dangerous when they block blood flow through an artery or vein.

When a blood clot blocks blood flow to an artery in the heart or brain, a heart attack or stroke may result. Blood clots can also block veins and arteries throughout the body, causing diseases that range from varicose veins to a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.

Physicians treat blood clots with a variety of methods. Medications such as anticoagulants (which help prevent blood clots) and clot busters (which help to dissolve blood clots) are prescribed to prevent and treat blood clots. In more serious situations, physicians might opt for a catheter-based procedure, which uses a long, thin tube called a catheter, or even surgery to remove the clot (thrombectomy). In addition, devices may be implanted into certain blood vessels to catch blood clots before they can cause serious damage.

Answer 3

1. Prothrombinase (formed in stage 1.) converts prothrombin-( a plasma protein that is formed in the liver) into the enzyme thrombin.

2. Then the thrombin converts fibrinogen-(also a plasma protein synthesized in the liver) into fibrin.

3. As the platelets become activated by thrombin and aggregate at the site of injury, it forms a temporary loose platelet plug. The protein fibrinogen is primarily responsible for stimulating platelet clumping. Platelets clump by binding to collagen that becomes exposed following rupture of the endothelial lining of vessels.
Fibrin is insoluble and forms the threads that bind the clot.

==Activation of prothrombin into thrombin involves the activation of factor X to factor Xa. Factor Xa activates prothrombin (factor II) to thrombin (factor IIa). Thrombin, in turn, converts fibrinogen to fibrin.==

Answer 4

Unfortunately the only way to knowledge, specially in medicine is through long, painful, bleeding hours reading and studying. Thre is no such thing as a summary of blod clotting. Is a very complicated mechanism. Read and enjoy.