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Hemophilia is a disorder in which bleeding is severe and prolonged due to a lack of clotting factor VIII. The factor activation cascade is interrupted at the Factor IX activation step. Which pathway is inhibited by this interruption?

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Answer:

The intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation is inhibited.

Step-by-step explanation:

To answer the question, if the factor activation cascade is interrupted at the Factor IX activation step, then the intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation is inhibited, because Factor IX belongs to the intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation.

The blood clotting cascade is a sequential process involving two starts that eventually meet to result in the formation of a blood clot. Each stage of the cascade involves specific blood clotting factors that get activated along the way; their activation is needed to continue the process.

The two initiation pathways for the blood clotting cascade are:

  • Intrinsic pathway: involving factors XII, XI, IX and VIII (all found in the blood, hence the name "intrinsic").
  • Extrinsic pathway: involving Tissue factor and factor VIII (Tissue factor is found in the blood vessels, hence the name "extrinsic")

The final common stage is called the Common pathway which involves factors XIII, X, V, II and I.

Hemophilia is a condition where a clotting factor is missing, resulting in bleeding. There are two major types of hemophilia:

• Type A: factor VIII is missing

• Type B: factor IX is missing

When either of these factors is missing, the intrinsic pathway is interrupted.

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