Figure 1.

Thrombosis and thrombolysis pathways.

Thrombosis and thrombolysis are both important processes. Thrombosis is triggered by prothrombin activator, which causes formation of cross-linked polymer fibrin with the addition of Ca²⁺. Thrombolysis has a more complex feedback mechanism. Endogenous plasminogen is activated and converted to plasmin in the intravascular space by plasminogen activator, and the cross-linked polymer fibrin is degraded into soluble fibrin degradation products by plasmin and then cleared.