| ATP | Adenosine triphosphate, a molecule that carries energy within cells for metabolism. Present in platelets, it's necessary for activation and aggregation during the clotting process. |
| Buffy Coat | A thin layer in centrifuged blood that contains white blood cells and platelets, crucial for body's defense mechanisms and blood clotting processes, respectively. |
| Dense Bodies | Granules within platelets that contain substances like calcium and serotonin, essential for clotting and vasoconstriction upon platelet activation. |
| Erythropoiesis | The process of red blood cell formation in the bone marrow, stimulated by erythropoietin in response to low oxygen levels. |
| Erythropoietin | A hormone primarily produced by the kidneys that stimulates the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. |
| Fibrin | A protein involved in blood clotting, forming a mesh that traps platelets and cells to create a clot. |
| Granules | Structures within platelets and neutrophils containing various substances crucial for their function in clotting and immune response, respectively. |
| Hematopoiesis | The process of blood cell formation, occurring in the red bone marrow and giving rise to red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. |
| Hemoglobin | A protein in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returning carbon dioxide to the lungs. |
| Hemostasis | The process that stops bleeding at the site of an injury, involving the activation, aggregation, and adhesion of platelets to form a clot. |
| Lysosomes | Organelles containing digestive enzymes, present in platelets for breaking down ingested materials or damaged cellular components. |
| Microtubules | Structural components within platelets that maintain their shape and are involved in granule release during activation. |
| Mitochondria | Organelles that produce energy (ATP) for cell functions, found in platelets for clotting process activation and in neutrophils for defending against infections. |
| Neutrophil | A type of white blood cell that is part of the innate immune system, involved in defending the body against infections through phagocytosis. |
| Phagocytosis | The process by which cells, like neutrophils and macrophages, engulf and digest pathogens or debris. |
| Plasma | The liquid component of blood, making up about 55% of its volume, that carries blood cells, nutrients, proteins, hormones, and waste products. |
| Platelets (Thrombocytes) | Small, irregularly shaped cell fragments in the blood, crucial for clotting. They activate and aggregate at injury sites, initiating the clotting process. |
| Red Blood Cells | Also known as erythrocytes, these cells transport oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and carbon dioxide back to the lungs. They make up about 41% of blood’s volume. |
| White Blood Cells | Part of the immune system, these cells protect the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. They are depicted in the hematopoiesis process as differentiating into various types, including lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and neutrophils. |
