One of the most important processes in our body is blood coagulation. Its outline 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 everything 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, three phases can be distinguished. The first is activation. After damage to the vessel, sequential 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 coagulation 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 weight protein that is the basis of blood clots, the occurrence of which implies blood coagulation. The diagram provided below demonstrates this phase.
And finally, the third stage. It implies the formation of a fibrin clot, characterized by a dense structure. By the way, it is by washing and drying that it is possible to obtain “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 coagulation of blood has been briefly described above . The scheme, by the way, was developed back in 1905 by a coagulologist named Paul Oscar Moravitz. And it still does not lose its relevance.
But since 1905, much has changed in the area of understanding blood coagulation as a complex process. Thanks to progress, of course. Scientists were 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 "disassembled into bricks." It takes into account the internal and external systems - blood and tissue. Each is characterized by a certain deformation resulting from damage. In the blood system, damage is caused to the vascular walls, collagen, proteases (degrading enzymes) and catecholamines (mediator molecules). In tissue, cell damage is observed, due to which thromboplastin leaves them. Which is the most important stimulant of the coagulation process (otherwise called coagulation). It goes directly into the blood. Such is his "path", but it has a protective character. After all, it is thromboplastin that triggers the coagulation process. After it enters the bloodstream, the implementation of the above three phases begins.
Time
So, what roughly represents coagulation of blood, the scheme helped to understand. Now I would like to talk a little about time.
The whole process takes at most 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 to form a blood clot. It clogs the damaged area, so the bleeding stops. All this takes 5-7 minutes. The second and third stages occur much faster. In 2-5 seconds. Because these phases of blood coagulation (the scheme is provided above) affect processes that occur everywhere. And that means at the place of damage directly.
Prothrombin, in turn, is formed in the liver. And its synthesis takes time. How quickly a sufficient amount of prothrombin is produced depends on the amount of vitamin K in the body. If it is not enough, bleeding will be difficult to stop. And this is a serious problem. Since a lack of vitamin K indicates a violation of the synthesis of prothrombin. And this is an ailment that must be treated.
Synthesis stabilization
Well, the general blood coagulation scheme is understandable - now you should pay a little attention to the topic of what needs to be done to restore the required amount of vitamin K in the body.
For starters - 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. Therefore, it is worth drinking it actively. Do not neglect vegetables - spinach, white cabbage, tomatoes, green peas, onions.
Vitamin K is also found in meat, 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, then one variety of menus will be difficult to help. Usually, doctors strongly recommend combining their diet with the drugs prescribed by them. Do not delay the treatment. 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
At the end of the 19th century, a well-known physiologist and doctor of medical sciences lived. His name was Alexander Alexandrovich Schmidt. He lived for 63 years, and spent most of his time researching hematology problems. But he studied the topic of blood coagulation especially carefully. He managed to establish the enzymatic nature of this process, as a result of which the scientist offered a theoretical explanation to him. Which is visually depicted below the blood coagulation scheme.
First of all, the contraction of the damaged vessel occurs. Then a loose, primary platelet plug forms at the defect site. Then it strengthens. As a result, a red blood clot forms (otherwise referred to as a blood clot). After which it partially or completely dissolves.
During this process, certain coagulation factors appear. The scheme, in its expanded version, also displays them. They are indicated in Arabic numerals. And there are 13 in all. And you need to tell about each.
Factors
A complete blood coagulation scheme is not possible without listing them. Well, it’s worth starting with the first.
Factor I is a colorless fibrinogen protein. Synthesized in the liver, dissolved in a plasma. Factor II - prothrombin, which was mentioned above. Its unique ability is to bind calcium ions. And it is subsequently the cleavage of this substance that the coagulation enzyme is formed.
Factor III is a complex protein lipoprotein, tissue thromboplastin. It is commonly called the transport of phospholipids, cholesterol, and also triacylglycerides.
The next factor, IV, are Ca2 + ions. Those that bind under the influence of a colorless protein. They are involved in many complex processes, in addition to coagulation, in the secretion of neurotransmitters, for example.
Factor V is globulin. Which also forms in the liver. It is necessary for the binding of corticosteroids (hormonal substances) and their transportation. Factor VI existed for a certain time, but then it was decided to remove it from the classification. As scientists found out - factor V includes it.
But they did not change the classification. Therefore, V is followed by factor VII. Including proconvertin, with the participation of which tissue prothrombinase is formed (first phase).
Factor VIII is a protein expressed in a single chain. It is known as antihemophilic globulin A. It is because of its lack of such a rare hereditary disease as hemophilia that develops. Factor IX is “related” to the previously mentioned. Since this is antihemophilic globulin B. Factor X is directly a globulin synthesized in the liver.
And finally, the last three points. This is a factor of Rosenthal, Hageman and fibrin stabilization. Together, they affect the formation of intermolecular bonds and the normal functioning of a process such as blood coagulation.
Schmidt's scheme includes all of these factors. And to get acquainted with them fluently enough to understand how the described process is complex and ambiguous.
Anticoagulation system
This concept also needs to be noted attention. The blood coagulation system was described above - the scheme also clearly demonstrates the course of this process. But the so-called "anti-coagulation" also has a place to be.
To begin with, I would like to note that in the course of evolution, scientists solved two completely opposite problems. They tried to find out - how the body manages to prevent the leakage of blood from damaged vessels, while maintaining it in a liquid state intact? Well, the solution to the second problem was to find an anticoagulation system.
It is a specific set of plasma proteins that can reduce the rate of chemical reactions. That is, inhibit.
And antithrombin III is involved in this process. Its main function is to control the work of some factors, which includes a blood coagulation process scheme. It is important to clarify: it does not regulate the formation of a blood clot, but eliminates unnecessary enzymes that enter the bloodstream from the place where it forms. Why is this necessary? To prevent clotting from spreading to areas of the bloodstream that are damaged.
Obstruction element
Talking about what constitutes a blood coagulation system (the scheme of which is presented above), one can not fail to notice such a substance as heparin. It is a sulfur-containing acidic glycosaminoglycan (one of the types of polysaccharides).
It is a direct anticoagulant. A substance that inhibits 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 benefits. If you introduce this anticoagulant into the body, you can contribute to the activation of antithrombin III and lipoprotein lipase (enzymes that break down triglycerides are the main sources of energy for cells).
So, 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 blood plasma. Take, for example, α2-macroglobulin. It contributes to the cleavage of the thrombus, has an effect on the process of fibrinolysis, performs the function of transport for divalent ions and some proteins. It also inhibits the substances involved in the coagulation 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 the folding with the naked eye, we would see that the shape of the platelets in its process changes. They turn into rounded cells with characteristic spiky processes, which are necessary for the intensive implementation of aggregation - the combination of elements into a single whole.
But that is not all. Various substances are released from platelets during the coagulation process - catecholamines, serotonin, etc. Because of this, the lumen of blood vessels that have been damaged is narrowing. Due to what functional ischemia occurs. Blood supply in the damaged area is reduced. And, accordingly, the outpouring is also gradually reduced to a minimum. This allows platelets to block damaged areas. They, due to their spiky processes, seem to be “attached” to the edges of the collagen fibers, which are located at the edges of the wound. This ends the first, longest activation phase. It ends with the formation of thrombin. After that, a few more seconds of the coagulation and retraction phases follow. And the last stage is the restoration of normal blood circulation. And it is of great importance. Since full healing of the wound is impossible without good blood supply.
Good to know
Well, something like that in words looks like a simplified blood coagulation scheme. 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 difficult to experience. The disease is hereditary, develops due to defects in the proteins involved in the coagulation process. It can be detected quite simply - at the slightest cut, a person will lose a lot of blood. And spend a lot of time to stop her. And with especially severe forms, hemorrhage can begin for no reason. People with hemophilia may experience disability early. Since frequent hemorrhages in muscle tissue (ordinary hematomas) and in joints are not uncommon. Is it treatable? With difficulties. A person should literally treat his body as a fragile vessel, and always be careful. If bleeding occurs, urgently need to introduce donated fresh blood, which contains factor XVIII.
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 got the disease. As for the other two is unknown. Since then, hemophilia, by the way, is often called a royal disease.
But there are reverse cases. This refers to increased blood coagulability. If it is observed, then a person also needs to be no less careful. Increased coagulability indicates a high risk of the formation of intravascular blood clots. Which clog whole vessels. Often the consequence may be thrombophlebitis, accompanied by inflammation of the venous walls. But this defect is easier to treat. Often, by the way, he is acquired.
It is amazing how much of everything happens in the human body, when he was elementarily cut by 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 clearly demonstrating its schemes, is provided above. With the rest, if desired, can be found individually.