During vascular injury, there is an immediate response to minimize blood loss and initiate tissue repair. The process begins with vasoconstriction, where smooth muscle cells contract to reduce the diameter of the injured vessel. This is followed by the formation of a platelet plug, where platelets adhere to the exposed collagen fibers of the damaged vessel wall. The coagulation cascade is then activated, resulting in the formation of a fibrin clot that stabilizes the platelet plug and prevents further hemorrhage.
