title: Effects of in vitro incorporation of cholesterol and cholesterol analogues into rat platelets.
abstract: Cholesterol and analogues of cholesterol bearing shorter side chains were incorporated into rat platelet membranes by incubation with sterol-rich liposomes in vitro. Cholesterol-enriched platelets showed increased aggregability to collagen compared with controls. Platelets containing the cholesterol analogues pregn-5-en-3 beta-ol and chol-5-en-3 beta-ol were even more sensitive to aggregation and could aggregate spontaneously on stirring. The size of the platelets containing pregn-5-en-3 beta-ol was markedly reduced when compared with controls in the scanning electron microscope. The results suggest that the sterol content and structure of the platelet membrane can have a critical role in maintaining the normal function of the cell.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D007700:Kinetics; D008081:Liposomes; D008297:Male; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D002784:Cholesterol