Biotechnology and Medicine - LU1 Part 1

Flashcards covering the fundamentals of medical biotechnology, the biological cascade of blood clotting, key clotting factors, and pharmacological treatments for clotting disorders.

Medical biotechnology

The use of biological systems to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease; examples include insulin, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and PCR diagnostics.

Haemophilia A

A genetic problem characterized by a Factor VIII deficiency that results in the body's inability to produce a sufficient thrombin burst, leading to prolonged bleeding.

Biological Cascade

A biochemical amplification process where one enzyme activates many molecules (e.g., $1000$) across several steps, potentially activating $1 \text{ trillion}$ ($10^{12}$) molecules after $4$ steps.

Tissue Factor (Factor III)

A membrane receptor that acts as the “alarm signal” for clotting; it is exposed when a vessel breaks and blood contacts damaged tissue.

Extrinsic detector

In the smoke detector analogy, this is the tissue exposure detector located in the "kitchen."

Intrinsic detector

In the smoke detector analogy, this is the wall damage detector located in the "bedroom."

Platelet plug

The first stage of stopping a bleed where platelets form a temporary "soft clot" (analogous to bricks) to rapidly block blood flow.

Fibrin

Insoluble protein strands that form a mesh or "cement" to lock platelets in place, stabilizing the temporary plug into a protein clot.

Proenzyme

The inactive state in which the body stores clotting proteins; they are switched ON through proteolytic cleavage to become active proteases.

Factor Xa

A major protease amplifier and key entry point to the common pathway that converts Prothrombin into Thrombin.

Thrombin

The most important molecule in coagulation, known as the "Master Switch," which converts soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin strands.

Factor XIII

The protein responsible for stabilizing a clot by creating covalent cross-links between fibrin strands, turning a "soft clot" into a "stable clot."

Thrombosis

A condition where internal blood clotting occurs; it is described as silent and potentially fatal if the thrombotic mass breaks away and reaches the brain or heart.

Antithrombin

A natural inhibitor that stops thrombin and other clotting proteases (especially Factor Xa) to prevent the spread of a clot.

Plasmin / tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)

Components of the natural clot removal system that dissolve the fibrin mesh; used clinically for stroke treatment.

Aspirin

A pharmacological prevention tool that reduces platelet aggregation by targeting COX-1 and thromboxane A2.

Warfarin

A drug used for the long-term prevention of heart attack or stroke by decreasing thrombin production through the inhibition of Vitamin K-dependent factors ($II$, $VII$, $IX$, $X$).

Heparin

A hospital-use anticoagulant that enhances antithrombin to provide immediate inhibition of thrombin and Factor Xa.

Emicizumab

A haemophilia therapy used for amplification bypass when there is a weak thrombin burst.

Tranexamic acid

A therapy for haemophilia used when a formed clot is easily degraded, working to prevent fibrin breakdown.