Chapter 18 - Blood Flashcards
How often do small clots form in our blood vessels?
Every day
What system in the body dissolves blood clots?
The fibrinolytic system
What is plasminogen?
An inactive plasma enzyme, a precursor enzyme
What is plasmin and what does it do?
The active form of plasminogen, digests fibrin threads and inactivates the fibrinogen, prothrombin, and V and XII factors of the clot, thus dissolving it
Where are the enzymes that can activate plasminogen located?
In body tissues and blood
How does heparin help fight inappropriate coagulation?
It combines with antithrombin and blocks thrombin (the thing that makes the threads in clots)
Where in the body is heparin produced?
Mast cells and basophils
What makes a drop of blood red?
Iron, the iron in the center of the heme group makes blood red
What is another name for red blood cells?
Erythrocytes
