Clotting factors

Definition

Clotting factors are proteins in the blood plasma that work together to stop bleeding by forming a clot. They are crucial for hemostasis, the process that halts blood loss from damaged vessels and tissues.

Related terms

Hemostasis:

The physiological process that stops bleeding at the site of an injury while maintaining blood in a fluid state within the vascular system.

Coagulation:

A part of hemostasis that involves the transformation of blood from a liquid into a gel, forming a blood clot.

Fibrinogen:

A soluble plasma protein that is converted into fibrin by thrombin during coagulation to form the meshwork structure of a blood clot