Final answer:
Fibrin is the end-product of the coagulation system. It is formed when fibrinogen is converted into insoluble fibrin, creating a mesh that traps platelets and erythrocytes to produce a clot. This process is critical to stop bleeding and is intricately controlled to prevent inadvertent clotting.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fibrin is the end-product of the coagulation system of inflammation. During the coagulation process, several steps occur in sequence, often described as a cascade. This process involves the conversion of fibrinogen, a soluble protein, into fibrin, an insoluble protein that forms a mesh. This mesh traps platelets and erythrocytes (red blood cells), producing a blood clot.
There are intrinsic and extrinsic pathways that lead to a common pathway in which fibrin is produced. Factor X activation leads to the conversion of prothrombin into thrombin, which in turn transforms fibrinogen into fibrin. This forms a mesh to seal the vessel. Factor XIII then stabilizes the clot. Bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus can exploit this mechanism by producing coagulase, causing clotting and allowing them to evade the immune system.