A rapid and simple assay for the study of thromboxane B2 synthesis by intact human platelets

Conversion of 1-14C-arachidonic acid (AA) to thromboxane B2 (TXB2) by human platelets was studied by using a new, simple technique. Organic solvent extraction was avoided by spotting aliquots of the reaction mixture directly on thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates. In this way it was possible to study the kinetic parameters of the formation of TXB2. Moreover, the rapidity and simplicity of the assay should be particularly suitable when studying the possible relationships between thromboxane synthesis and aggregation function in human platelets, where a large number of determinations is required.