Non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases and phosphatases in human platelets

There is now a large and rapidly growing body of information on the different types of non-receptor tyrosine kinases and phosphatases present within platelets. These enzymes appear to play a critical role in co-ordinating, integrating and amplifying signals from multiple cell surface receptors. Despite considerable progress in this area of research over the last decade, a coherent understanding of how these enzymes fit into the complex communication networks of platelets remains elusive. The challenge ahead will be to define the molecular interactions and hierarchies between tyrosine kinases, phosphatases and other platelet signalling enzymes, and to pinpoint the key phosphorylation reactions required for the induction of specific platelet responses.