Clotting cascade
This is a biological amplification system in which there is sequential activation of circulating precursor proteins (the coagulation factor enzymes) which results in the generation of thrombin. Thrombin causes the conversion of plasma fibrinogen to fibrin which enmeshes the platelet aggregates at the site of vascular injury. This results in the formation of stable homeostatic plugs.
Blood coagulation is considered in terms of two pathways - the intrinsic and extrinsic, which both end in a common pathway.
Related pages
- Platelet biology
- Diagram of the physiological production of thrombin
- Diagram of thrombin generation in DIC
- Diagram of the clotting cascade
- Intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation
- Extrinsic pathway of blood coagulation
- Pathway interactions
- Common pathway of blood coagulation
- Disorders of clotting cascade
- Physiological haemostasis
- Inflammatory functions
- Coagulation factors
Create an account to add page annotations
Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.