Irregular shape Colourless Sticky Very very tiny!

Maintain homeostasis Preventing blood loss Homeostasis = ability to maintain a balanced internal environment in response to the environmental changes around them

Adhesion: platelets attach to the rip or tear in the blood vessel Activation: platelets change shape, turn on receptors and secrete chemical messages to other cells Aggregation: they connect to each other through receptor bridges

Coagulation cascade = combination of proteins activated by the chemical messages from the platelets. At the end of the coagulation cascade fibrinogens have become fibrin. Fibrin = product of fibrinogens which are blood clotting proteins

As the platelet plug forms it activates the coagulation cascade which uses fibrin deposits to form the clot. A “white clot” is made up mostly of platelets, while a “red clot” is made up of mostly fibrin. Typically our clots are a mixture of both

What would be an example of a good blood clot? A bad one? What might be the results of a bad blood clot?

Can be caused by: Cancer, pregnancy, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, certain medications Sticky blood Damage to the inside of blood vessels Can lead to: Heart attack, stroke, embolism

Smoking Physical inactivity

What do you think will happen to a blood clot if you take aspirin? Does it make it make it better or worse?