Coagulase
From Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium
This is a lemma article, containing just a definition. Click here to create the metadata page if you want to expand this into a full-fledged article.
Coagulase: Enzymes that cause coagulation in plasma by forming a complex with human prothrombin, and produced by certain bacteria including Staphylococcus species and Yersinia pestis. Staphylococci produce two types of coagulase: Staphylocoagulase, a free coagulase that produces true clotting of plasma, and Staphylococcal clumping factor, a bound coagulase in the cell wall that induces clumping of cells in the presence of fibrinogen. (adapted from National Library of Medicine)
