BRAINCAKEBlood Clotting
When a blood vessel is damaged, blood clotting (coagulation) quickly seals the break. This prevents further blood loss, helps maintain blood pressure and stops pathogens entering the body through the wound.
The first cells to respond are platelets. These are small fragments of large cells called megakaryocytes, which are made in the bone marrow. Platelets have no nucleus and normally circulate freely in the plasma without sticking to anything, because the endothelium lining a healthy vessel is smooth.
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Key terms in this lesson
- endothelium
- The single layer of thin, flattened cells lining the inside of blood vessels, which is smooth to reduce friction with the flowing blood.
More in Circulatory Systems
- The Bohr Effect
- Fetal Haemoglobin
- Myoglobin
- Transport of Carbon Dioxide
- The Blood Clotting Cascade
- Blood Vessels
- Arteries
- Arterioles
All 33 lessons in Circulatory Systems · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics