colorized scanning electron microscope image of a blood clot
scanning electron micrograph SEM of red blood cells found enmeshed in a fibrinous matrix on the luminal surface of an indwelling vascular catheter Magnified 2849x In this instance the indwelling catheter was a tube that was left in place creating a patent portal directly into a blood vessel Note the biconcave cytomorphologic shape of each erythrocyte which increases the surface area of these hemoglobin filled cells thereby promoting a greater degree of gas exchange which is their primary function in an in vivo setting In their adult phase these cells possess no nucleus What appears to be irregularly shaped chunks of debris are actually fibrin clumps which when inside the living organism functions as a key component in the process of blood clot formation acting to entrap the red blood cells in a mesh like latticework of proteinaceous strands thereby stabilizing and strengthening the clot in much the same way as rebar acts to strengthen and reinforce cement
Size: 5103px × 3469px
Photo credit: © Scott Camazine / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: anatomy, artery, atherosclerosis, attack, biology, blockage, blood, cardiovascular, cascade, catheter, cell, cellular, circulatory, clot, clots, clotting, coagulate, coagulated, coagulation, coagulum, cytology, disease, electron, emboli, embolus, erythrocyte, fiber, fibre, fibrin, fibrinogen, fibrinous, hemostasis, histologic, histological, histology, human, illness, infarct, infarction, matrix, mechanism, medical, mesh, micrograph, microscope, microscopic, myocardial, occlusion, physiology, rbc, red, scanning, science, sem, stroke, system, tissue, trapped, vascular, vessel
