Platelets Structure, Function and Modulator Capacity in Replacement Therapy

Patients with severe thrombocytopenia are presumed to be at increased risk for bleeding, and consequently it has been a standard practice for the past four decades to give allogeneic platelet transfusions to severely thrombocytopenic patients as supportive care. Platelet transfusions may be given either prophylactically to reduce the risk of bleeding, in the absence of clinical hemorrhage (prophylactic transfusions), or to control active bleeding when present (therapeutic transfusions).

Here we review the structure and function of platelets and discuss the mechanisms of alloimmunization to platelet transfusion.