L:4

Platelets

Platelet Structure:

A)Bilipid membrane and membrane proteins(outer membrane has 2 layers of lipid):

1)Bilipid membrane:

On it glycoproteins that function as surface receptors.(2 types of glycopt.)

a)glycoprotein Ib(GPIb): Binding site for von Willebrand factor(vWf) → imp. in plat. adhesion.

b)glycoprotein IIb, IIIa(GPIIb-IIIa): Function as fibrinogen receptor → imp. in plat. aggregation.

2)Bilipid membrane is the site of some of the complexes:

Coagulation activities of platelets.

B)Microtubules and microfilaments(inside plat.):

●Microtubules:

cytoskeletal support of plat.

●Microfilaments:

contain actin and participate in platelet pseudopod formation.

C)Dense tubular system:

*calcium reservoir(Ca imp. in plat. function).

*Is the site of plat cyclooxygenase and of prostaglandin synthesis.

D)Granules:

●Dense granules → contain [ADP((Adenosine Tri Phosphate))]s and Ca, also serotonin (all) → enhance AGGREGATION.

●α granules → contain PF4(plat. Factor 4), β-thromboglobulin, PDGF(plat. derived growth factor), Fibrongen, Factor V, and vWf (all) → imp. for ADHESION.

E)Canaliculi: = vacules.

●↑surface area.

●site of releasing granules contents.

Platelet Kinetics:

*Production:

CFU-Meg (stem cell in B.M.) →

↓ Meg-CSF(

Megakaryoblast

↓ proliferation

Megakaryocyte

Platelets TP

●Thrombopoietin (TP):

-stimulate CFU-Meg.

-Meg. Maturation.

-plat. production and shed from the most mature Meg.

*Meg. is most great largest cell in B.M. (20-50μm) in diameter.

*Defect of production → Thrombocytopenia(decrease no. of plat.).

*Distribution:

1)peripheral blood and spleen:

⅔ of plat. are in P.B. ⅓ in splenic pool of plat.

2)B.M.:

also site pf plat. pooling, but to a much lesser extent.

*Life span:

NL = 8-14 days.

*Shortened life span → Thrombocytopenia.

Platelet Function:

●Sequence of events → formation of plat. plug and stable fibrin clot(to close injury) at site of vessel interruption(cut, injury, bleeding, etc.)

A-*Adhesion:

Normally plat. do not adhere to intact(not injured, not interrupted) vascular endothelium due to action of prostacyclin [(prostaglandin I2) (PI2)] which is produced by endothelial cell and is potent plat. function inhibitor.

*Constituents required for plat. Adhesion:

-Collagen: present in blood vessels, interstitium, and basement membrane. Also stimulate aggregation.

-GPIb.

-vWf: bind GPIb.

-Other: fibronectin, thrombospondin, and calcium.

B-*Aggregation:

-aggregation is induced by exposure to a variety of stimuli such as ADP, thrombin, or epinephrine, and in vivo it appears to be stimulated by adhesion.

1ry curve

-Agg.

2ry curve

(in vitro to test plat.)with application of ADP, collagen and ristocetin.

*Absent 1ry agg.(curve) = Thrombasthenia.

*Absent 2ry agg.(curve) = ITP and storage pool diss.

C*Interaction with coagulation system:

1)Coagulation factors: included:

-Fibrongen.

-vWf.

-Factor V.

-Factor XIII.

-HMWK(High Molecular Weight Kininogen).

2)Coagulation cascade:

*-ve charged surface → facilitate activation of F.XII by kallikrein and HMWK.

*Bind F.Xa → ↑prothrombin action(activation).

*vWf → associate with F.VIII complex.

*Test for plat. function → B.T.(bleeding time).

Disorders of platelets number :

N.B. NL count=150,000-450,000/μl

*Thrombocytopenia:

1)Decreased production:

a)Congenital:

1)TAR: ((Thrombocytopenia with Absent Radii))(radii=radius bones).

-↓or absent Meg.

-absent radii.

-serious bleeding.

treatment: plat. transfusion.

2)Other:

-Fanconi's anemia.

-May-Hegglin anomaly(defect in Meg. maturation but no. is normal): autosomal dominant with bizarre gaint plat. + basophilic inclusions in granulocytes(Döhle bodies).

b)Acquired:

-A plastic anemia.

-Neoplasms.

-Vit B12.

-Alcohol.

-Chemotherapy.

-Radiation.

2)Increased destruction:

a)Congenital:

1)NAIT:

Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia.

2)Structural disorders

e.g. Wiskott-Aldrish syndrome:

-Thrombocytopenia.

-Eczema.

-Immunological disorders.

b)Acquired:

1)ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura).

2)TTP(Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura).

3)Drugs.

4)DIC (Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation).

*Thrombocytosis:

1)Resulting from Myeloproliferation:

-CML (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia).

-Essential thrombocytosis.

-Polycythemia Vera.

2)Secondary:

-Iron deficiency (>million/μl).

-Postsplenctomy(as we said before that ⅓ of plat. inter splenic pool, so, after removing of spleen these plat. will present in blood cause increase no. of plat.)

-Others:

●Chronic inflammatory conditions.

●Haemolytic anemia.

●Hemorrhage.

●Malignancy.

*Idiopathic (immune) thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP):

-Is the most common cause of isolated thrombocytopenia(U/M we see thrombocytopenia while other cells are normal = isolated thrombocytopenia).

-2 forms : ●Acute : self limited. Children.

●Chronic: seen in adults. Most common women(20-40 yrs).

*Pathophysiology:

-Autoimmune disorders thrombocytopenia result from action of antiplatelet antibodies shortened life span of platelets.

-In sever cases antibodies may also affect Meg. causing ineffective platelets production.

*Clinical features:

The pt usually presents with petechiae, mucous membrane bleeding, or menorrhagia.

*Diagnosis:

-B.M. examination reveals normal or increased number of Meg.

-Antiplatelet antibodies demonstrated in serum.

*Therapy:

-In children: acute form-self limited.

-In adults: corticosteroids.

*ITP-Like syndrome:

-Associated with HIV.

-SLE.

Disorders of platelets function:

*Congenital:

a)Disorders of membrane receptors:

1)GPIB deficiency → Bernard-Soulier syndrome.

2)GPIIb-IIIa deficiency → Glanzmann's thromboasthenia.

b)Disorders of platelet secretion abnormal in plat. granules storage pool diss.:

-Dense granules(δ storage pool diss.).

-α granules (gray plat. syndrome) (α-storage pool diss.).

*Acquired:

1)Myeloproliferative disorders:

-CML.

-Essential thrombocytopenia.

-Polycythemia Vera.

-Myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS).

2)with immunologic mechanisms:

-ITP.

-Multiple Myeloma(Hyper viscosity syndrome).

3)With non hematologic conditions:

-Uremia.

-Liver diss.

4)Drugs:

-Aspirin.

-Penicillin.

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Dr. Ashwag B. ALshareif http://medicineunitedgroup.tripod.com