thrombin

Thrombin is an essential enzyme in the blood clotting process. It transforms fibrinogen, a plasma protein, into fibrin threads that form a mesh, creating a blood clot to stop bleeding. Thrombin also activates other clotting factors and stabilizes the clot by encouraging the attachment of platelets. Its activity is tightly regulated to prevent excessive clotting, which could lead to conditions like thrombosis. In short, thrombin plays a central role in forming and stabilizing blood clots to prevent excessive blood loss after injury.