Vascular Flashcards
(164 cards)
Define haemostasis
Haemostasis is the physiological response of blood vessels to injury, with the aim of preventing blood loss. Cooperation of platelets, proteins of coagulation cascade, and endothelial cells.
Define thrombosis
Inappropriately activated haemostasis
Define platelet
Discoid anuclear body produced by cytoplasmic fragmentation of megakaryocytes in bone marrow
What is the lifespan of a platelet?
7 days
What mediates platelet adherence to collagen?
Von Willebrand factor
What signals do platelets secrete after they adhere to collagen?
chemical signals thromboxane A2, vasoactive amines 5HT, ADP
Which factors mediate platelet contraction and fusion?
Integrins esp alpha IIb beta3
JAMs Ig-Super-Family junctional adhesion molecules
ESAM endothelial cell-specific adhesion molecule
Kinase-ligand combination of eph and ephrin families
What do the integrins and eph/ephrins do?
signalling molecules. Cytoskeletal alterations (myosin dependent contraction) responsible for retraction of blood clot
What is purpura?
Bleeding from skin capillaries due to reduced platelet number
What is the primary haemostatic plug?
Platelets aggregated together with sufficient internal cohesion to resist dissolution by force of blood
What is the secondary haemostatic plug?
Fibrin strands created by the coagulation cascade making a meshwork with fused platelets
Which inhibitors of haemostasis do endothelial cells produce?
- NO, prostacyclin PGI2 which inhibit platelet aggregation
- Antithrombin – binds and inactivates thrombin. Antithrombin-thrombin complexes cleared in liver
- Tissue factor pathway inhibitor – blocks activation of factor X by tissue factor
- Thrombomodulin – changes conformation of thrombin so it is less able to cleave fibrinogen during coagulation cascade, instead activates protein C which inactivates factors V and VIII
- Protein S cofactor for protein C
How do damaged cells promote haemostasis?
Exposed tissues activate platelets and coagulation cascade
Synthesise
1. Von Willebrand factor
2. Tissue factor
3. Express binding sites that increase activity of coagulation factors IX and X
Define thrombus
Mass formed from blood constituents within the circulation during life. Fibrin and platelets, with entrapped red and white blood cells.
Define blood clot
Formed in static blood, involves predominantly the coagulation system without interaction of platelets with the vessel wall e.g. post mortem. Random mixture of blood cells suspended in serum proteins
Compare and contrast the structure of blood clots and thrombi
Blood clot = soft, jelly-like and unstructured.
Arterial thrombus = compact, granular, firm. Contain laminations of pale layers of fibrin/platelets, and dark layers with more erythrocytes. Lines of Zahn.
Venous thrombus = pale head with little evidence of lamination, still platelets and fibrin. Red tail due to many enmeshed red cells (going towards the heart)
What causes changed flow in arteries/cardiac chambers and veins?
Arteries/cardiac chambers = turbulence (narrowing/aneurysms/MI/arrhythmia/valvuar disease)
Veins = stasis (right heart failure, immobilisation, compressed veins, varicose veins, increased viscosity of blood)
Which veins are most commonly thrombosed?
Pelvic and deep and superficial leg veins
What does antithrombin III do?
Inhibit haemostasis
XIIa, XIa, IXa, XIIIa, Xa, thrombin?
What does protein C do?
Inhibit factor V and VIII
What does thrombomodulin do?
Inhibit thrombin from converting fibrinogen to fibrin
Allow thrombin to activate protein C
What are the lines in thrombi called and what are they?
Lines of Zahn
Dark = erythrocytes
Light = fibrin and platelets
Define embolus
Intravascular solid, liquid, or gaseous gas carried by blood flow from its point of origin to impact at a distant site.
Where do most emboli lodge?
Systemic veins e.g. leg and pelvis or right side of heart –> pulmonary artery
Left side of heart and aorta –> systemic arterial system –> brain, spleen, kidney, gut, legs etc.