Biochemistry of Hemostasis Flashcards
Why is the coagulation cascade often compared to a staged waterfall?
The coagulation cascade operates in stages, where each stage depends on the function of the previous stage, similar to a waterfall with cascading stages.
How does the extrinsic pathway differ from the intrinsic pathway in the coagulation cascade?
The extrinsic pathway depends on tissue factor and factor 7, while the intrinsic pathway involves factors 8, 9, 11, and 12. Both pathways contribute to thrombin production.
What is the purpose of anti-thrombotic factors in the coagulation cascade?
Anti-thrombotic factors help control the coagulation cascade and maintain a balance in the blood clotting process.
How is a blood clot ultimately destroyed in the coagulation cascade?
Plasmin, a protein, is produced to degrade fibrin, leading to the dissolution of the blood clot.
What factors in the coagulation cascade are vitamin K dependent?
Factors 2, 7, 9, and 10 are vitamin K dependent.
How do you describe the coagulation cascade in a summarized manner?
The coagulation cascade is a staged process, initiated by tissue factor and involving extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. Thrombin production, amplification, and fibrin formation lead to stable blood clot formation. Anti-thrombotic factors provide control, and plasmin destroys clots.
What is the definition of hemostasis?
the collection of processes that stops bleeding by keeping blood within a damaged blood vessel.
Why is hemostasis important, and what must it achieve?
it prevents blood loss after an injury. It must be fast, localized, and reversible to maintain the balance between coagulation and anti-coagulation factors.
What are the consequences of an imbalance in hemostasis?
An imbalance can lead to thrombosis (clot in the wrong place) or hemorrhage (uncontrolled bleeding), both of which can be life-threatening.
What factors can influence the balance in hemostasis?
The balance can be influenced by inherited conditions, environmental factors, and drugs.
What are the key phases of hemostasis, and what are their main goals?
The phases include vessel constriction, platelet activation (formation of a platelet plug), the coagulation cascade (producing fibrin), and fibrinolysis (clot dissolution).
What substances are secreted by endothelial cells and what role do they play in hemostasis?
Endothelial cells secrete prostacyclin, nitric oxide, heparan sulfate, tissue factor pathway inhibitor, and thrombomodulin. These substances inhibit thrombus formation and maintain normal vessel function.
How is hemostasis initiated, and what processes are triggered by vessel injury?
Vessel injury exposes collagen and tissue factor, initiating two parallel processes: platelet activation and the coagulation cascade.
What is the goal of platelet activation, and what substances are crucial for it?
Platelet activation aims to form a platelet plug. Important substances include von Willebrand factor and fibrinogen.
What is the objective of the coagulation cascade, and what is the role of thrombin in this process?
The coagulation cascade aims to produce thrombin. Thrombin is a serine protease that converts fibrinogen into fibrin, which forms a stable clot.
What is fibrinolysis, and how is it activated?
Fibrinolysis is the process of dissolving a blood clot. Plasmin is a key player in this process, and it reverses clot formation.
What are platelets?
small, disc-shaped blood cells that play a crucial role in blood clotting and wound healing.
Platelets arise from
megakaryocytes, found in bone marrow
What is the function of von Willebrand Factor (vWF) in hemostasis?
mediates platelet adhesion by bridging GpIb on platelets and collagen, playing a crucial role in blood clot formation.
Where is von Willebrand Factor (vWF) normally found in the body?
circulating in the blood and is secreted constitutively by endothelial cells, megakaryocytes, and connective tissue.
How do platelets release von Willebrand Factor (vWF)?
upon degranulation, contributing to the formation of platelet plugs in response to vascular injury.