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Definition

noun, plural: blood clotting factors

Any of the many plasma components involved in blood clot formation

Supplement

Examples of blood clotting factors in humans are as follows:

• Fibrinogen
• Prothrombin
• Tissue factor
• Calcium ions
• Proaccelerin
• Accelerin
• Proconvertin
• Antihaemophilic factor
• Christmas factor
• Stuart factor
• Plasma prothromboplastin antecedent
• Hageman factor
• Fibrin-stabilizing factor

The lack of, or insufficiency of, blood clotting factors may lead to inefficient blood clotting. Haemophilia is a condition characterized by excessive bleeding due to a defective blood clot formation caused by faulty genes associated with the production of blood clotting factors, e.g. factor VIII (antihaemophilic factor).

Also called:

• coagulation factor

See also:

• Haemophilia
• Christmas disease
• Thrombase