Haemostasis Flashcards
What is the average blood volume?
4-6 litres
What is the name given to when you lose more than 20% of your blood?
Hypovolaemic shock
Define haemostasis
The cessation of blood loss from damaged vessels
What does haemostasis require?
Cell-cell communication
How many cells per mm3 of peripheral blood do Erythrocytes make up?
5 million cells per cm^3
What is the lifespan of an erythrocyte? What is the significance that they are anucleate when they are damaged?
- 120 days
- They cannot repair themselves as they have no nucleus for transcription
What are the 3 phases of haemostasis?
- Vascular phase
- Platelet phase
- Coagulation phase
What occurs during the vascular phase?
Vasoconstriction
Endothelial cells contract
Endothelial adhesion increases
In the vascular phase of haemostasis, what does the contraction of endothelial cells result in?
- Exposes basal lamina to blood
- Releases factors; ADP, tissue factor, endothelins
In the vascular phase of haemostasis, what does the release of ADP result in?
ADP - platelet aggregation
What are endothelins?
Peptide hormones which stimulate contraction of smooth muscle and promote mitosis of damaged tissue in vessels
During the vascular phase of Haemostasis, what are 4 examples of factors that endothelial cells release? What do each of these factors contribute to?
- ADP - platelet aggregation
- Prostacyclin - reduces spread of platelet aggregation 3. Tissue Factor - involved in extrinsic pathway of coagulation
- Endothelins - stimulate contraction of smooth muscle
In smaller vessels how can endothelial adhesion help haemostasis?
- Endothelial cells can stick together to cover damaged vessels
- Can also provide attachments for platelets
How and where are platelets formed? How long is the life span of a platelet?
- Megakaryocytes have structures that project into marrow sinuses in the bone marrow - These pockets of cytoplasm them pinch off to form platelets -
Life span of a platelet is 10 days
What are the 3 stages of the platelet phase?
- Adhesion
- Activation
- Aggregation