Assessing protein synthesis by platelets

Platelets are anucleate cytoplasts that circulate in the bloodstream for approximately 9-11 days. Because they lack nuclei, platelets were considered incapable of protein synthesis. However, studies over the last decade have revealed that platelets use a variety of translational control pathways to synthesize proteins.A variety of protocols can be employed to assess protein synthesis by platelets. These protocols are scattered throughout the literature and, more often than not, lack critical details. In this chapter, we thoroughly outline methods used in our laboratory to assess protein synthesis by platelets.