[Progress of research on lyophilized-preservation of platelets-review]

Lyophilization is the best preservation of platelets at present. Lyophilized platelets could be stored in circumstance temperature, small space and be transported with portability, but lyophilizing may damage platelet membrane, denature protein and induce platelet activation. The chain of events including freezing and drying that lead to activation are related to the phase transition of platelet membrane lipid. Application of protectants in accordance with damage mechanism of lyophilization could alleviate the damnification. Human platelets can be preserved using lyophilization successfully in the presence of trehalose in laboratory presently, that retains normal functions and activities after rehydration. These findings suggest that the application of lyophilized platelets in transfusion medicine will be carried out in future. In this paper damage effect of lyophilization on platelets, application of cryoprotectants in the platelet lyophilization and experimental studies on platelet cryopreservation were reviewed.