What are major cleavage products released by plasmin during fibrin degradation?

The major cleavage products released by plasmin during the degradation of fibrin are fibrin D-dimer and other fibrin degradation products. Plasminogen is activated to plasmin, which then breaks down fibrin, a key component in blood clot formation, into smaller fragments. Among these fragments, fibrin D-dimer is a specific marker that indicates the presence of fibrin degradation products and is often used in clinical settings to assess for conditions such as venous thromboembolism or disseminated intravascular coagulation.

The presence of D-dimer in the bloodstream is particularly significant since it reflects the activity of clot breakdown, helping clinicians understand the dynamic processes of coagulation and fibrinolysis. Other fibrin degradation products can include fibrin monomers and longer fragments, which can also be indicative of thrombolytic activity but D-dimer is most often measured in practice.

This understanding is crucial because it helps differentiate between normal clotting processes and pathological conditions. The other choices provided pertain to components of the coagulation cascade or platelet function, which are not direct products of plasmin activity in fibrin breakdown.