Question

Hemostasis is mediated by which of the following formed elements?

1) Platelets
2) Red blood cells
3) White blood cells
4) All of the above

Answer 1

Platelets are the formed elements of blood responsible for mediating hemostasis, which involves stopping bleeding by forming a platelet plug followed by coagulation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Hemostasis is the physiological process by which bleeding stops to prevent further blood loss when blood vessels are damaged. Hemostasis involves three primary steps: vascular spasm, the formation of a platelet plug, and coagulation. Among the formed elements of blood, platelets or thrombocytes are central to the hemostasis process, particularly in forming the platelet plug and in the coagulation phase to form a fibrin clot. Therefore, when asked which formed element mediates hemostasis, the answer is platelets (1). These cell fragments, developed from megakaryocytes in the bone marrow, release clotting factors that help transform blood from a liquid to a gel, creating the clot that seals damaged blood vessels.