ADP-induced refractory state of platelets in vitro. II. Functional and ultra studies on gel filtered platelets

Gelfiltered platelets (GFP) in calcium free Tyrode solution containing albumin, glucose and adenosine deaminase were preincubated with 1 micronM 14C-ADP or 0.15 M NaCl (control) at 37 degrees C. The breakdown of extracellular 14C-ADP was markedly inhibited in this medium. No aggregation took place without fibrinogen, but the platelets underwent a disc to sphere transformation with development of refactoriness towards ADP. Presence of 2 mM CaCl2 in the incubation medium did not prevent refractoriness as reported earlier with washed rabbit platelets. When the ADP degrading enzyme, apyrase, was added at 30 min of incubation a partial recovery of the aggregability was observed. Electron microscopic studies showed that the partial restoration of the aggregation response, due to ADP degradation by apyrase, was accompanied by a return of discoidal morphology of the platelets. The ultrastructural studies showed further that spherical form with large number of pseudopods is not by itself a necessary or sufficient indication of platelets in a refractory state. However, the results indicated that spherical platelets are more vulnerable to external factors. It was concluded that refractoriness was mainly caused by a direct effect on the platelets by ADP itself, but the studies also suggested that deteriorating, irreversible, intracellular changes may take place when platelets are in spherical shape. An artificial medium, mechanical stress, incubation at 37 degrees C are factors that probably speed up these changes.