thrombin

Thân thiện

A scientist adds thrombin to a test tube of blood plasma.

Definition

Noun: * A clotting enzyme: Thrombin is a specific enzyme in the blood plasma. Its primary function is to cause blood clotting by converting the soluble protein fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin strands.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Thrombin is a key component of the coagulation cascade.
  • The formation of thrombin from its precursor, prothrombin, is a critical step in hemostasis.
  • Surgeons sometimes apply topical thrombin to control bleeding during operations.

Advanced Usage

• "Thrombin generation": The process by which thrombin is produced in the blood, often measured to assess clotting function.
  • The test measures the patient's potential for thrombin generation.
• "Thrombin time" (TT): A laboratory test that measures how long it takes for a clot to form after thrombin is added to a blood plasma sample.
  • An elevated thrombin time may indicate a problem with fibrinogen.

Variants and Related Words

• Prothrombin (n): The inactive precursor or zymogen of thrombin.
  • Vitamin K is necessary for the synthesis of prothrombin in the liver.
• Antithrombin (n): A substance that inhibits the action of thrombin, helping to prevent excessive clotting.
  • Heparin works by activating antithrombin.

Synonyms

• Coagulation factor IIa: The systematic name for thrombin, identifying it as the activated form of factor II in the coagulation cascade.
• Clotting enzyme: A descriptive term highlighting its functional role.

Related Phrases

• Thrombin receptor: A protein on the surface of cells that thrombin binds to, initiating various cellular responses.
  • Platelet activation is mediated through the thrombin receptor.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an enzyme that acts on fibrinogen in blood causing it to clot