One of the most important processes in our body is blood clotting. Its scheme will be described below (images are also provided for clarity). And since this is a complex process, it is worth considering it in detail.
How is it going?
So, the designated process is responsible for stopping the bleeding that occurred due to damage to one or another component of the vascular system of the body.
In simple terms, there are three phases. The first is activation. After damage to the vessel, successive reactions begin to occur, which ultimately lead to the formation of the so-called prothrombinase. This is a complex complex consisting of V and X clotting factors. It is formed on the phospholipid surface of platelet membranes.
The second phase is coagulation. At this stage, fibrin is formed from fibrinogen - a high-molecular protein, which is the basis of blood clots, the occurrence of which implies blood clotting. The diagram below illustrates this phase.
And finally, the third stage. It involves the formation of fibrinclot, characterized by a dense structure. By the way, it is by washing and drying that it is possible to obtain a “material”, which is then used to prepare sterile films and sponges to stop bleeding caused by rupture of small vessels during surgical operations.
About reactions
The blood clotting has been briefly described above. The scheme, by the way, was developed back in 1905 by a coagulologist named Paul Oskar Morawitz. And it has not lost its relevance to this day.
But since 1905, much has changed in understanding blood coagulation as a complex process. With progress, of course. Scientists have been able to discover dozens of new reactions and proteins that are involved in this process. And now the cascade pattern of blood coagulation is more common. Thanks to her, the perception and understanding of such a complex process becomes a little more understandable.
As you can see in the image below, what is happening is literally "taken apart". It takes into account the internal and external system - blood and tissue. Each is characterized by a certain deformation that occurs as a result of damage. In the blood system, damage is done to the vascular walls, collagen, proteases (splitting enzymes) and catecholamines (mediator molecules). In the tissue, cell damage is observed, as a result of which thromboplastin is released from them. Which is the most important stimulator of the coagulation process (otherwise called coagulation). It goes directly into the blood. This is his waybut it is protective. After all, it is thromboplastin that starts the clotting process. After its release into the blood, the implementation of the above three phases begins.
Time
So, what exactly is blood coagulation, the scheme helped to understand. Now I would like to talk a little about time.
The whole process takes a maximum of 7 minutes. The first phase lasts from five to seven. During this time, prothrombin is formed. This substance is a complex type of protein structure responsible for the course of the coagulation process and the ability of blood to thicken. Which is used by our body in order to form a blood clot. It clogs the damaged area, so that the bleeding stops. All this takes 5-7 minutes. The second and third stages happen much faster. For 2-5 seconds. Because these phases of blood clotting (diagram provided above) affect processes that occur everywhere. And that means at the site of damage directly.
Prothrombin, in turn, is formed in the liver. And it takes time to synthesize it. How quickly a sufficient amount of prothrombin is produced depends on the amount of vitamin K contained in the body. If it is not enough, the bleeding will be difficult to stop. And this is a serious problem. Since the lack of vitamin K indicates a violation of the synthesis of prothrombin. And this is an ailment that needs to be treated.
Synthesis Stabilization
Well, the general scheme of blood clotting is clear - now followspay a little attention to the topic of what needs to be done to restore the required amount of vitamin K in the body.
First, eat right. The largest amount of vitamin K is found in green tea - 959 mcg per 100 g! Three times more, by the way, than in black. That is why it is worth drinking it actively. Do not neglect vegetables - spinach, white cabbage, tomatoes, green peas, onions.
Meat also contains vitamin K, but not in everything - only in veal, beef liver, lamb. But least of all it is in the composition of garlic, raisins, milk, apples and grapes.
However, if the situation is serious, it will be difficult to help with just a variety of menus. Usually, doctors strongly recommend combining your diet with the drugs they have prescribed. Treatment should not be delayed. It is necessary to start it as soon as possible in order to normalize the mechanism of blood coagulation. The treatment regimen is prescribed directly by the doctor, and he is also obliged to warn what can happen if the recommendations are neglected. And the consequences can be liver dysfunction, thrombohemorrhagic syndrome, pernicious anemia, tumor diseases and damage to bone marrow stem cells.
Schmidt scheme
A famous physiologist and doctor of medical sciences lived at the end of the 19th century. His name was Alexander Alexandrovich Schmidt. He lived for 63 years, and devoted most of his time to the study of problems of hematology. But especially carefully he studied the topic of blood coagulation. He managed to establish the enzymatic nature of thisprocess, as a result of which the scientist offered a theoretical explanation for it. Which is clearly illustrated by the blood coagulation diagram below.
First of all, the damaged vessel is reduced. Then, at the site of the defect, a loose, primary platelet plug is formed. Then it gets stronger. As a result, a red blood clot (otherwise referred to as a blood clot) is formed. After which it partially or completely dissolves.
During this process, certain clotting factors appear. The scheme, in its expanded version, also displays them. They are denoted by Arabic numerals. And there are 13 of them in total. And each one needs to be told.
Factors
A complete blood coagulation scheme is impossible without listing them. Well, let's start from the first one.
Factor I is a colorless protein called fibrinogen. Synthesized in the liver, dissolved in plasma. Factor II - prothrombin, which has already been mentioned above. Its unique ability lies in the binding of calcium ions. And it is precisely after the breakdown of this substance that the coagulation enzyme is formed.
Factor III is a complex lipoprotein protein, tissue thromboplastin. It is commonly called the transport of phospholipids, cholesterol, and also triacylglycerides.
The next factor, IV, are Ca2+ ions. The ones that bind under the influence of a colorless protein. They are involved in many complex processes, in addition to clotting, in the secretion of neurotransmitters, for example.
Factor V is a globulin. Which is also formed in the liver. It is necessary for the binding of corticosteroids (hormonal substances) and their transport. Factor VI existed for a certain time, but then it was decided to remove it from the classification. Since scientists have found out - it includes the factor V.
But the classification was not changed. Therefore, V is followed by factor VII. Includes proconvertin, with the participation of which tissue prothrombinase is formed (first phase).
Factor VIII is a protein expressed in one chain. Known as antihemophilic globulin A. It is because of its lack that such a rare hereditary disease as hemophilia develops. Factor IX is "related" to the previously mentioned. Since it is antihemophilic globulin B. Factor X is directly a globulin synthesized in the liver.
And finally, the last three points. These are the Rosenthal, Hageman factor and fibrin stabilization. Together, they affect the formation of intermolecular bonds and the normal functioning of a process such as blood clotting.
Schmidt's scheme includes all these factors. And it is enough to get acquainted with them briefly in order to understand how the described process is complex and ambiguous.
Anti-clotting system
This concept also needs to be noted attention. The blood coagulation system was described above - the diagram also clearly demonstrates the course of this process. But the so-called "countercoagulation" also has a place to be.
To begin with, I would like to note that in the course of evolution, scientists decidedtwo completely opposite tasks. They tried to figure out how the body manages to prevent blood from flowing out of damaged vessels, and at the same time keep it in a liquid state intact? Well, the solution to the second problem was the discovery of an anti-clotting system.
It is a certain set of plasma proteins that can slow down the rate of chemical reactions. That is to inhibit.
And antithrombin III is involved in this process. Its main function is to control the work of some factors that include the scheme of the blood coagulation process. It is important to clarify: it does not regulate the formation of a blood clot, but eliminates unnecessary enzymes that have entered the bloodstream from the place where it is formed. What is it for? To prevent the spread of clotting to areas of the bloodstream that have been damaged.
Obstructive element
Talking about what the blood coagulation system is (the scheme of which is presented above), one cannot fail to note such a substance as heparin. It is a sulfur-containing acidic glycosaminoglycan (a type of polysaccharide).
This is a direct anticoagulant. A substance that contributes to the inhibition of the activity of the coagulation system. It is heparin that prevents the formation of blood clots. How does this happen? Heparin simply reduces the activity of thrombin in the blood. However, it is a natural substance. And it is beneficial. If you introduce this anticoagulant into the body, you can contributeactivation of antithrombin III and lipoprotein lipase (enzymes that break down triglycerides - the main sources of energy for cells).
Well, heparin is often used to treat thrombotic conditions. Only one of its molecules can activate a large amount of antithrombin III. Accordingly, heparin can be considered a catalyst - since the action in this case is really similar to the effect caused by them.
There are other substances with the same effect contained in the blood plasma. Take, for example, α2-macroglobulin. It contributes to the splitting of the thrombus, affects the process of fibrinolysis, performs the function of transport for 2-valent ions and some proteins. It also inhibits substances involved in the clotting process.
Observed changes
There is one more nuance that the traditional blood coagulation scheme does not demonstrate. The physiology of our body is such that many processes involve not only chemical changes. But also physical. If we could observe clotting with the naked eye, we would see that the shape of the platelets changes in the process. They turn into rounded cells with characteristic spiny processes, which are necessary for the intensive implementation of aggregation - the unification of elements into a single whole.
But that's not all. During the clotting process, various substances are released from platelets - catecholamines, serotonin, etc. Because of this, the lumen of the vessels that have been damaged narrows. What causes functional ischemia. blood supply in the injuredplace is reduced. And, accordingly, the outpouring is also gradually reduced to a minimum. This gives the platelets the opportunity to cover the damaged areas. They, due to their spiny processes, seem to be “attached” to the edges of the collagen fibers that are located at the edges of the wound. This ends the first, longest activation phase. It ends with the formation of thrombin. This is followed by a few more seconds of the phase of coagulation and retraction. And the last stage is the restoration of normal blood circulation. And it matters a lot. Since full wound healing is impossible without good blood supply.
Good to know
Well, this is how a simplified blood coagulation scheme looks like in words. However, there are a few more nuances that I would like to note with attention.
Hemophilia. It has already been mentioned above. This is a very dangerous disease. Any hemorrhage by a person suffering from it is experienced hard. The disease is hereditary, develops due to defects in the proteins involved in the coagulation process. You can detect it quite simply - with the slightest cut, a person will lose a lot of blood. And it will take a lot of time to stop it. And in especially severe forms, hemorrhage can begin for no reason. People with hemophilia can be disabled early. Since frequent hemorrhages in muscle tissue (usual hematomas) and in joints are not uncommon. Is it curable? With difficulties. A person should literally treat his body as a fragile vessel, and always beneat. If bleeding occurs, donated fresh blood containing factor XVIII should be urgently administered.
Usually men suffer from this disease. And women act as carriers of the hemophilia gene. Interestingly, the British Queen Victoria was one. One of her sons contracted the disease. The other two are unknown. Since then, hemophilia, by the way, is often called the royal disease.
But there are also reverse cases. This refers to increased blood clotting. If it is observed, then the person also needs to be no less careful. Increased clotting indicates a high risk of intravascular thrombosis. Which clog entire vessels. Often the consequence can be thrombophlebitis, accompanied by inflammation of the venous walls. But this defect is easier to treat. Often, by the way, it is acquired.
It's amazing how much happens in the human body when he cuts himself with a piece of paper. You can talk for a long time about the features of blood, its coagulation and the processes that accompany it. But all the most interesting information, as well as diagrams that clearly demonstrate it, are provided above. The rest, if desired, can be viewed individually.
