Okay, we're looking for eye-openers out there and
blood is the last thing we want to see……. but what really keeps it inside?
Whatever stops us bleeding to death?
It seems that even haematologists aren't absolutely certain exactly how many blood clotting factors are required to stop blood loss - is it 13, 14….or more? No wonder haematology is a field of medicine in its own right.
What we can be sure of is that the brain senses blood loss and directs the heart to reduce the pressure exerted so that platelets can cover the damaged blood vessel and a SEQUENTIAL CASCADE of protein factors can then begin repair.
You got it……yes, blood
carries its own complex puncture repair kit!
Isn't that impressive!?
The 2 initial factors, fibronogen and prothrombin, may be vital but of course if any of the factors are absent or deficient the puncture repair cannot be completely successful, hence haemophilia. The most famous haemophiliac would perhaps be the teenage Grand Duke Alexis of Russia, murdered with his family by the Bolsheviks on 17 July, 1918.
How many millions of mums and babies died at childbirth before the blood clotting cascade fully evolved? Or has blood always had perfect integrity, thanks to our Creator?
Isn't that impressive!?
The 2 initial factors, fibronogen and prothrombin, may be vital but of course if any of the factors are absent or deficient the puncture repair cannot be completely successful, hence haemophilia. The most famous haemophiliac would perhaps be the teenage Grand Duke Alexis of Russia, murdered with his family by the Bolsheviks on 17 July, 1918.
How many millions of mums and babies died at childbirth before the blood clotting cascade fully evolved? Or has blood always had perfect integrity, thanks to our Creator?
Image by kind permission of Red Cross Australia
The sequential blood clotting cascade is no secret but it’s another one of those things we take for granted until it doesn’t work properly. Even the experts don’t seem to fully understand how it all works. Unfortunately Red Cross didn’t help as promised but at least they gave permission.
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