The coagulation pathway is a cascade of enzymatic conversions, each activating the sequence's next enzyme (factor). The final enzyme in this pathway is thrombin (factor IIa), which catalyzes the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin strands. Events must involve many reactions and feedback mechanisms before the clot is formed.
Utilizing the extrinsic pathway, intrinsic pathway, or both leads to a common pathway, where the various factors and other reactants respond normally in an orderly, controlled process—the coagulation cascade.
