Thrombin
An enzyme that presides over the conversion of a substance called fibrinogen to fibrin, which promotes blood clotting.
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- Thrombinogen
Better known today as prothrombin, a coagulation (clotting) factor needed for the normal clotting of blood. There is a cascade of biochemical events that leads to the formation of the final clot. In this cascade, prothrombin is a precursor to thrombin. Because prothrombin comes before thrombin, it is called prothrombin. The prothrombin time is a […]
- Thrombocyte
A platelet. Crucial to normal blood clotting. Although platelets are sometimes classed as blood cells, they are not. They are fragments of a large cell called a megakaryocyte (literally, a large cell).
- Thrombocythemia
An abnormally high number of platelets in the blood. Also known as thrombocytosis.
- Thrombocytopenia
A low platelet count. Platelets are irregular, disc-shaped element in the blood that assists in blood clotting. thrombocytopenia can arise due to decreased production of platelets in the bone marrow or increased breakdown of platelets in the bloodstream, spleen, or liver. Thrombocytopenia is characterized by easy bruising and increased bleeding.
- Thrombocytopenia, heparin-induced
Low blood platelet count as a result of the medication heparin. HIT (heparin induced thrombocytopenia) is caused by the body forming antibodies to Heparin when it is bound to a blood protein called platelet factor 4 (PF4). When the antibody binds to the combination of heparin and PF4 it activates platelets which bind together and […]