Platelets and vascular integrity

Carsten Deppermann1

  • 1a Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases , University of Calgary , Calgary , AB , Canada.

Platelets
|February 16, 2018
PubMed

Platelets patrol the vasculature and adhere at sites of vascular damage after trauma to limit blood loss. In recent years, however, it has become clear that platelets also contribute to pathophysiologic processes such as thrombosis, atherosclerosis, stroke, sepsis and many more. An exciting new role for them is in non-classical hemostasis to prevent bleeding in the inflamed vasculature. Recent studies suggest that GPVI, CLEC-2, integrin αIIbβ3 (GPIIb/IIIa), and the content of platelet α- and dense granules are important players in this process. This review summarizes the current knowledge about how platelets prevent vascular integrity during inflammation in the skin, lung, and the ischemic brain and their organ-specific role.

Related Concept Videos

Seedless Vascular Plants03:24

Seedless Vascular Plants

Seedless Vascular Plants Were the First Tall Plants on Earth
68.0K
Integration by Parts: Indefinite Integrals01:26

Integration by Parts: Indefinite Integrals

Integration by parts is a fundamental technique in calculus for evaluating integrals involving the product of two functions. It is particularly useful when direct integration is not feasible. The method is based on the product rule for differentiation, which states that the derivative of a product equals the derivative of the first function times the second, plus the first function times the derivative of the second. By integrating this identity and rearranging terms, the integration by parts...
289
Integration by Parts: Definite Integrals01:23

Integration by Parts: Definite Integrals

Definite integrals involving the product of two functions over a fixed interval can be evaluated using integration by parts. This method rewrites the integral as the difference of a product evaluated at the endpoints and a remaining definite integral that is often simpler to compute.A representative example is the definite integral of the inverse tangent function. Since there is no direct integration formula for arctan ⁡x, the integrand is rewritten as a product of arctan⁡ x and the...
95
Structure and Function of Platelets01:18

Structure and Function of Platelets

The cell fragments known as platelets are disc-shaped, with an average diameter of about 3 μm and a thickness of roughly 1 μm. They play a crucial role in the body's vascular clotting system, which also involves plasma proteins, blood cells, and blood vessel tissues.
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...
3.8K
Formation of the Platelet Plug01:22

Formation of the Platelet Plug

The platelet phase, the second stage of hemostasis, commences around 15-20 seconds after an injury. It follows and overlaps with the vascular phase, during which blood vessels constrict to minimize blood loss.
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...
9.6K
Vascular Spasm01:16

Vascular Spasm

The vascular phase, also known as vasospasm, is the initial stage of hemostasis, crucial for preventing excessive bleeding when a blood vessel is injured. After a vessel is cut, nerves in the damaged area trigger pain and other sensory impulses. Simultaneously, the smooth muscles in the vessel wall contract, resulting in a vascular spasm. This contraction reduces the vessel's diameter at the injury site, slowing or stopping blood loss through the vessel wall. Vascular spasms typically last...
3.8K