Platelets+-+MA

=Introduction=

Platelets are like a road block protecting the oncoming people from the danger ahead. Platelets work similar to that process, at first they are called to the area of need and then they start their patching up so that the blood and other cells don’t get out or past into the danger. The first thing you might want to know is what is the job of a platelet and what causes it to do its job. Once you've learned that you might want to know is why do you need so many platelets. After that you might want to know what the lifespan of a platelet is. The last important piece of information you might want to know is what are some of platelets disabilities.

=What Is The Job Of A Platelet?=

Ever wonder what the purpose of a scab is after you fall down after riding your bike or tripping? That scab, which is made out of a platelet cell, keeps you from losing too much blood. Yet you might also notice, scabs don’t form right away after you get a cut, this is because when a blood vessel is pierced, and blood makes contact with the air, then a signal is sent to the platelets to begin their chemical reaction. Therefore a fibrin, a weave like web, is created. Later on blood cells get trapped inside or around the web not letting anything past or out of it. However It is important to not pick or peel at the scab, once it is broken, the process will happen once again.

As you may see, the platelets are traveling in the blood vessel

Platelets also form bruises which may be caused when you fall down hard, but don’t pierce or cut the blood cell. The black and blue color of a bruise is because platelets rush over and start a chemical reaction and make a dark shading underneath the skin.

=**Why Do You Need So Many Platelets?**=

Think of platelets like a dam, if you don't have enough of wood then the dam will not withstand all the water that is going its way. Since platelets puff up during the chemical reaction, they clog the blood vessel. However if you were to have not enough of those platelets then the blood would get past the clot and flow out and past the clot resulting to loss of blood. Also they are the smallest cell in the blood vessel, so that is why you have around 2.5 million platelets in 1 drop of blood.

Lets say that a certain part of your body has less platelets located there platelets, and more are needed, the **spleen,** an organ which is located near the liver, would send platelets to that part of the body and help out with the situation.

=**What Is The Lifespan Of A Platelet?**=

Platelets are not immortal, they only live for about 5-9 days at the most. They live for such a short time because of their size. Look at the chart below to compare different cells that are located in the blood vessel as well.

Red Blood Cells: 120 days White Blood Cells: 3-4 days Platelets: 4-9 days

**Bone marrow**, which is the white chalkly substance located inside a bone, is where megakaryocytes are made. those megakaryocytes then break down into platelets cells which wander through and around the blood vessel until they are needed.After a platelets dies off, it goes to the spleen which counts for as both graveyard and storage room. The spleen stores platelets and other cells, and it also is a place where dead platelets go to.

=**What Are Some Of Platelets Disabilities?**=

Thrombocytosis is a disability in which platelets start their chemical reaction when a blood vessel is not pierced or cut. This causes the fibrin weave net to travel through the vessels and into the brain where you are at high risk of getting a stroke. The medicine to this is **aspirin**. Aspirin is a medicine that purifies the blood stream and decreases chances of a stroke. People with this disorder have to watch out for their body and always be careful with pointy and sharp items.

Hemophilia is a disorder when your platelets don’t react to a cut or pierce in the blood vessel. This is a bad thing because it makes that person bleed uncontrollably and need help right away when they begin to bleed. Although The disorder is found in around 1 for every 30 born, so the chance of you or a new born baby having it is slim.

Thrombocytopenia is a disorder in which the body has a very little amount of platelets leading to easy bruising and loss of lots of blood. Thrombocytopenia also may cause bleeding in the gums and nose.

=**Conclusion**=

Now that you have read this article, you understand why platelets are so important to your body, what might be some of its problems, and why it is important not to peel a scab. Not only did you learn that but also what causes platelets to react.

=References=

Works Cited “Function of platelets.” Health and Biology Science Resources. N.p., 2014. Web. 23 Jan. 2015. . Gearge, James N. “Platelets.” OUHSC. N.p., 2007. Web. 18 Dec. 2014. . Introducing the Cell Cochran, 1997. Full Video.Discovery Education. Web. 19 December 2014. . Padilla, Michael J. Prentice Hall Science Explorer. Teacher’s ed. Needham: Pearson Prentice Hall,, 2005. Print. Platelet cell. discovery. wiki, n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2014. . “What Are Platelets.” Wise Gek. Conjecture Corporation, 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2015. .

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