Platelet heterogeneity and dense tubular system changes on activation.
Platelets impregnated with heavy metals appeared as 3 distinct morphological types: 'reticular' cells with a polygonal dense tubular network and stained granules, dark metallophilic cells, and pale metallophobic cells with microvesicles and non-staining granules. On stimulation, type 1 cells decreased while type 3 cells increased, suggesting that with activation dense tubules break up into microvesicles and granules become metallophobic. In the type 2 cells a different functional mechanism may exist.
D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013917:Thrombin / Q000494:pharmacology
D008670:Metals; D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D013917:Thrombin