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Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Comprehensive Analysis of Procoagulant Platelets Exhibiting Features of Necrosis, Apoptosis and Platelet Activation
Published on: May 23, 2025
Platelet cytotoxicity against parasites
B Polack1, F Peyron, C Auriault
1Laboratoire d'Hématologie, CNRS URA 1344, Faculté de Médecine, CHRU, Grenoble, France.
Platelets are not restricted to hemostasis and thrombosis since they are involved in defence mechanisms especially in parasitic diseases. They express cytotoxic functions in vitro and in vivo against extra-cellular and intra-cellular parasites. The toxic process is mediated either by specific antibodies or directly by the parasite itself. As some metabolic pathways seem to be implicated both in hemostasis and in parasiticidal activity, primary hemostasis and cytotoxicity may be considered as specialized inflammatory responses.
Platelets are not restricted to hemostasis and thrombosis since they are involved in defence mechanisms especially in parasitic diseases. They express cytotoxic functions in vitro and in vivo against extra-cellular and intra-cellular parasites. The toxic process is mediated either by specific antibodies or directly by the parasite itself. As some metabolic pathways seem to be implicated both in hemostasis and in parasiticidal activity, primary hemostasis and cytotoxicity may be considered as specialized inflammatory responses.
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