platelets and blood clotting

Question 1

what are platelets involved in?

Answer 1

helping the blood clot

Question 2

what are platelets?

Answer 2

fragments of cells that are involved in blood clotting and forming scabs where the skin has been cut of punctured

Question 3

what happens when the skin is broken?

Answer 3

platelets arrive to stop the bleeding

Question 4

what do the chemicals do that platelets release?

Answer 4

the chemicals cause soluble fibrinogen proteins to convert into insoluble fibrin and form an insoluble mesh across the wound, trapping red blood cells and forming a clot

Question 5

what does the clot dry into?

Answer 5

it dries and develops into a scab to protect the wound from bacteria entering

Question 6

what is the importance of blood clotting?

Answer 6

blood clotting prevents continued/significant blood loss from wounds
scab formation seals the wound with an insoluble patch that prevents entry of microorganisms that could cause infection
remains in place until new skin has grown underneath it, sealing the skin again

Question 7

what happens if microbes enter our body?

Answer 7

they need to be neutralised or killed

Question 8

what are the 2 types of white blood cells involved in the immune response?

Answer 8

phagocytes- engulf and digest pathogens
lymphocytes- produce antibodies to destroy particular pathogens