clotting factor X

Factor X is a crucial clotting factor produced in the liver, requiring vitamin K for its synthesis. In its activated form, it acts as a proteolytic enzyme. This enzyme plays a vital role in hemostasis, the process of stopping blood loss from a ruptured vessel.1

Factor X is a key component in the common pathway of blood coagulation. It is activated through either the extrinsic pathway, triggered by tissue factor, or the intrinsic pathway, initiated by internal vessel injury. Once activated, factor X, along with calcium ions and phospholipids, converts prothrombin into thrombin. This reaction is further accelerated by factor V. Thrombin then catalyzes the transformation of fibrinogen into fibrin, forming a mesh that traps blood cells and platelets, ultimately creating a blood clot.213