The platelet in leukemic reticuloendotheliosis. Functional and morphological evidence of a qualitative disorder.
Platelets were studied in a group of 10 patients with typical clinical course, morphological findings, and specific histochemical criteria for leukemic reticuloendotheliosis. In 8 of these, marked qualitative abnormalities were found. These included lack of aggregation following epinephrine stimulation (6 patients), and decreased platelet factor 3 availability following ADP stimulation (4 patients). In addition, platelets in 4 of the 10 patients were studied by electron microscopy. All had granular abnormality, and 1 case showed the presence of rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. The functional and ultrastructural abnormalities of platelets reported here may be responsible for the clinically important bleeding episodes which were not attributable to thrombocytopenia in 2 of our patients. The findings also provide a clue to the basic nature of this histogenetically controversial malignancy.
D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000473:pathology*; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D013925:Thromboplastin / Q000032:analysis
D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D013925:Thromboplastin; D004837:Epinephrine