Which function describes thrombocytes?

• A. Clot formation
• B. Oxygen transport
• C. Hormone transport
• D. Immune response

Answer: (A)

Platelets, or thrombocytes, are responsible for clot formation. When a blood vessel is damaged, they quickly gather at the injury site, adhere to the exposed tissue, and become activated. They release chemicals that recruit more platelets to form a platelet plug, the first step in stopping the bleed. They also support the coagulation cascade, which converts fibrinogen into fibrin to stabilize the clot and secure the seal as the tissue begins to repair. For context, this is part of the body’s hemostatic response to control bleeding after injury. Oxygen transport is carried by red blood cells, hormone transport mainly involves carrier proteins in plasma, and the immune response is carried out by various white blood cells.