Use of fluorescence flow cytometry to study the binding of various ligands to platelets

Fluorescence flow cytometry can be used to analyze the binding of different ligands to platelets. However careful choice of volume gates is essential in selecting the population of platelets for analysis. The use of fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated to staphylococcal protein A or F(ab')2 fragments of immunoglobulin G anti-immunoglobulin offers no advantage in sensitivity or specificity in fluorescence studies of platelets and prefixation of washed platelets with paraformaldehyde has no effect on nonspecific fluorescence. The application of this technology to platelets facilitates quantitation of fluorescence intensity and may yield additional useful information.