factor X
biochemistry
Also known as: prothrombinase
Quick Summary
Red blood cells (erythrocytes) trapped in a mesh of fibrin threads. The glycoprotein prothrombin, which occurs in blood plasma, is transformed into thrombin by a clotting factor known as factor X or prothrombinase; thrombin then acts to transform fibrinogen, also present in plasma, into fibrin, which, in combination with platelets from the blood, forms a blood clot.
Factor X is a clotting factor primarily produced in the liver, requiring vitamin K for its synthesis. In its activated form, it acts as a proteolytic enzyme. This enzyme plays a crucial role in the blood coagulation cascade by converting prothrombin into thrombin. This conversion is dependent on calcium ions and phospholipids, and is accelerated by factor V. This process is a vital part of hemostasis, the mechanism that prevents excessive bleeding after injury.12
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