How does a blood clot (thrombosis) occur / form?
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot. It occurs when a blood vessel (e.g. an artery is damaged).
What happens?
1) A protein called thromboplastin is released from the damaged blood vessel (e.g. an artery).
2) Thromboplastin, along with calcium ions from the plasma triggers the conversion of prothrombin (a soluble protein) into thrombin (an enzyme).
3) Thrombin then catalyses the conversion of fibrinogen (a soluble protein) to fibrin (solid insoluble fibres).
4) The fibrin fibres tangle together and form a mesh in which platelets (small fragments of cells in the blood) and red blood cells get trapped - this forms the blood clot or a thrombus.
Cardiovascular diseases can result from blood clots.
Note : the main bulk of this post was taken from CGP. However, I enjoy the way it is explained.
What happens?
1) A protein called thromboplastin is released from the damaged blood vessel (e.g. an artery).
2) Thromboplastin, along with calcium ions from the plasma triggers the conversion of prothrombin (a soluble protein) into thrombin (an enzyme).
3) Thrombin then catalyses the conversion of fibrinogen (a soluble protein) to fibrin (solid insoluble fibres).
4) The fibrin fibres tangle together and form a mesh in which platelets (small fragments of cells in the blood) and red blood cells get trapped - this forms the blood clot or a thrombus.
Cardiovascular diseases can result from blood clots.
Note : the main bulk of this post was taken from CGP. However, I enjoy the way it is explained.
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