Figure 2.

Hemostasis and thrombosis. (Top) In healthy states, a physical injury to a blood vessel causes extrusion of the blood, but the blood loss is limited by formation of a hemostatic plug generated by platelet adhesion and aggregation at the site of injury. Fibrin deposition generated from activation of the coagulation serine protease cascade at the site of injury creates a proteinaceous network that stabilizes the plug. (Bottom) In pathological conditions associated with oxidative stress, the normal hemostatic response is amplified and can lead to formation of an occlusive thrombus at the site of a minor injury, such as occurs in the setting of a small rupture of atherosclerotic plaque. Created with BioRender.com and accessed on 4 January 2024. oxLDL, oxidized low-density lipoprotein particle.