The Process of Blood Clotting
Platelets
- When the skin is cut, microorganisms have an entry point to get into the body
- The first line of defence is compromised
- In order to minimise the risk of substantial blood loss and entry of unwanted microorganisms, the blood starts to clot and seal the wound
- In response to blood vessel damage, platelets form a temporary plug to stem bleeding
- Platelets are cellular fragments that make up one component of the blood
- They release chemicals called clotting factors that trigger a chemical cascade which results in blood clotting
Components of Blood Diagram
The blood is made up of 4 key components; plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets
Blood clotting process
- The chemical cascade, triggered by the clotting factors, involves a large number of steps and several plasma proteins
- First of all, the clotting factors stimulate the release of the enzyme thrombin
- Thrombin catalyses the conversion of the soluble protein fibrinogen into fibrin, which is insoluble
- Fibrin forms a mesh that traps more platelets and blood cells to prevent entry through the wound
- A small initial stimulus is amplified to produce a large amount of fibrin so that the wound is quickly sealed
- Exposure to air results in the hardening of the mesh to create a scab
Blood Clot Formation Diagram
Blood clotting involves a chemical cascade process