blood cell fragments used to clot blood are called

(b) Platelets are required for clotting of the blood. The megakaryocyte breaks up into thousands of fragments that become platelets. They contain many small vesicles but do not contain a nucleus.įigure 1. (a) Platelets are formed from large cells called megakaryocytes. Each platelet is disc shaped and 2–4 μm in diameter. For each megakaryocyte, 2000–3000 platelets are formed with 150,000 to 400,000 platelets present in each cubic millimeter of blood. Platelets are formed from the disintegration of larger cells called megakaryocytes, like that shown in Figure 1a. The plug or clot lasts for a number of days and stops the loss of blood. Many platelets converge and stick together at the wound site forming a platelet plug (also called a fibrin clot), as illustrated in Figure 1b. Many of the clotting factors require vitamin K to work, and vitamin K deficiency can lead to problems with blood clotting. These contents activate other platelets and also interact with other coagulation factors, which convert fibrinogen, a water-soluble protein present in blood serum into fibrin (a non-water soluble protein), causing the blood to clot. Small cell fragments called platelets (thrombocytes) are attracted to the wound site where they adhere by extending many projections and releasing their contents. Platelets and Coagulation Factorsīlood must clot to heal wounds and prevent excess blood loss. Blood is 20 percent of a person’s extracellular fluid and eight percent of weight.

In humans, cellular components make up approximately 45 percent of the blood and the liquid plasma 55 percent. Interstitial fluid that surrounds cells is separate from the blood, but in hemolymph, they are combined. The platelets are responsible for blood clotting. The cells are responsible for carrying the gases (red cells) and immune the response (white). Blood plasma is actually the dominant component of blood and contains the water, proteins, electrolytes, lipids, and glucose.

Blood is actually a term used to describe the liquid that moves through the vessels and includes plasma (the liquid portion, which contains water, proteins, salts, lipids, and glucose) and the cells (red and white cells) and cell fragments called platelets. The blood is more than the proteins, though. Hemoglobin is responsible for distributing oxygen, and to a lesser extent, carbon dioxide, throughout the circulatory systems of humans, vertebrates, and many invertebrates.

Describe the basic components of the blood.

Blood cell fragments used to clot blood are called