Blood Clotting

[Zebra]

Anyone explain this mechanism to me?

[Zebra]

This is how I would explain it... please correct it

Firstly, the arteries near the wounded region constrict to reduce the blood loss. Then, the blood platelets become very sticky and fragile. They clump together to form a plug at the broken end of the vessel. The blood now coagulates due to the complex series of chemical reactions triggered by the damage to the cells and the release of platelet contents. The final step of coagulation is the conversion of blood protein into insoluble protein fibres. These fibres entangle blood cells and slowly shrink, forming a more permanent seal (scab).

Does vcca expect us to explain the conversion of fibronogen to fibrin catalysed by enzyme thombin??

argh!

[Russ]

That's a reasonable explanation, but my ability to correct it is limited by the fact I never did VCAA bio and don't know how much information they require.

I suppose you could add a sentence stating that the entire process is mediated by release of various cytokines and molecules that indicate "danger".

I doubt they expect you to explain the process of conversion, but mentioning that it happens seems like a reasonable expectation.

[Zebra]

Cytokines are produced by the damaged cells to make the undamaged cells more resistant? or is that interferon @>@?

[Zebra]

Cytokines are produced by the damaged cells to make the undamaged cells more resistant? or is that interferon @>@?

It's interferon.

Cytokines are
•   protein molecules that act as messengers between cells.
•   produced by almost all cells of the immune system, but especially T cells.
•   A cell can only respond to a cytokine if it has an appropriate receptor receptor


But again, the study design doesn't specify any of defensive substances such as cytokines, interferon etc. so confusing

[Russ]

That's interferon gamma and viral infection.

Cytokines just signal damage to the blood vessels and trigger repair processes.

e, if VCAA don't specify it, I wouldn't stress