Cortisol is one of the steroid hormones and is made in the adrenal glands. Most cells within the body have cortisol receptors. Secretion of the hormone is controlled by the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal gland, a combination glands often referred to as the HPA axis. What does cortisol do? Because most bodily cells have cortisol receptors, it affects many different functions in the body. Cortisol can help control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, help reduce inflammation, and assist with memory formulation. It has a controlling effect on salt and water balance and helps control blood pressure.
Thrombocytopenia can lead to small areas of bleeding just under the surface of the skin, resulting in purplish spots called purpura. This disorder also causes red blood cells to break down (undergo hemolysis) prematurely. As blood squeezes past clots within blood vessels, red blood cells can break apart. A condition called hemolytic anemia occurs when red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can replace them.
The blood clotting system or coagulation pathway, like the complement system, is a proteolytic cascade. Each enzyme of the pathway is present in the plasma as a zymogen (inactive form), which on activation undergoes proteolytic cleavage to release the active factor from the precursor molecule. The coagulation pathway functions as a series of positive and negative feedback loops which control the activation process.