An Introduction to the Fundamentals of Coagulation: The Fibrinolytic System

The Fibrinolytic System

  • There is a very close relationship between the formation of fibrin, and its eventual degradation, or lysis.
  • A fibrin clot serves as a temporary seal, intended to prevent continued blood loss from the damaged vessel while repair activities are performed.
  • The breakdown of the clot begins almost as soon as the clot is formed!
  • The process by which fibrin is broken down and removed from the clot, ultimately leading to complete dissolution of the clot, is called fibrinolysis.


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