In vitro platelet aggregation studies in microvascular surgery research: a method in the rat model

There is now a growing awareness of the central role of platelet function in microvascular thrombosis. Platelet aggregation studies remain one of the most useful ways of studying platelet function and response to different stimuli. This brief communication highlights some of the main variables that can affect platelet aggregation in rats and emphasizes the existence of important differences in these variables compared with human platelet aggregation.