Platelet plug

Definition

A platelet plug is a temporary accumulation of platelets that serves to seal small breaks in damaged blood vessels, initiating the process of hemostasis. This action prevents excessive loss of blood and stabilizes the vessel wall until more permanent repairs are made.

Related terms

Hemostasis:

The physiological process by which bleeding ceases, involving vasoconstriction, formation of a platelet plug, and coagulation.

Coagulation:

A series of enzymatic reactions that lead to the conversion of liquid blood into a gel-like clot, reinforcing the platelet plug.

Fibrin:

An insoluble protein formed during the final steps of coagulation that acts as a meshwork to stabilize the clot