ENZYME CASCADE

[bionut720]

WHAT EXACTLY OCCURS DURING AN ENZYME CASCADE?

[kotoreru]

An enzyme activates another, which in turn activates another, which in turn...

(VERY basically)

[bionut720]

and how does the first one activate?

[kotoreru]

Ah well I suppose I should have expected such a question considering the simplicity of my answer lol

Ok well think of blood clotting. The coagulation cascade...the start trigger is tissue damage (or plasma contact with air). I'm a bit hazy on the particulars, but fibrin and fibrinogen come to mind...

Try this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coagulation

[bionut720]

thanks a lot, that really helped!

[Jammerz]

The wikipedia link covers it in great detail.

A very simple explanation we had in our bio lecture was that cells at the site of injury release clotting factors that convert prothrombin to thrombin, which in turn converts fibrinogen to fibrin, which helps platelets to form a clot.