Related Experiment Videos
History of discovery: platelet-derived growth factor
Daniel F Bowen-Pope1, Elaine W Raines
1Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. bp@u.washington.edu
None:
A growth-promoting activity released from activated platelets, the platelet-derived growth factor, was discovered and characterized while the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of the lesions of atherosclerosis were being investigated. This review provides a personal account of the different challenges we faced 3 decades ago in this undertaking and describes how our path was influenced by our focus on a disease process and by the evolving general understanding of the molecular effectors of cell proliferation.
Related Concept Videos
Formation of the Platelet Plug
As the injured blood vessel contracts, endothelial cells undergo contraction, revealing collagen fibers in the basement membrane and underlying connective tissue. Furthermore, the plasma membrane of endothelial cells becomes adhesive, preparing the site for platelet adhesion. Platelets...
Structure and Function of Platelets
Platelets are continually replenished, circulating in the bloodstream for 9-12 days before being removed by phagocytes, primarily in the spleen. A microliter of circulating blood contains between 150,000 and 450,000 platelets, with...
Role of Hematopoietic Growth Factors
Thrombopoietin (TPO), mainly released by the liver,...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle