title: The state of actin polymerization in tetracaine-treated platelets.
abstract: Although there is considerable evidence that platelet activation is associated with polymerization of actin, it is not known whether there is some pre-existing F-actin even before activation. We have examined the state of actin polymerization in nonactivated platelets by deoxyribonuclease assay of G-actin and total actin. To fully suppress activation, platelets were prepared in the presence of tetracaine. The G-actin/total actin ratio in tetracaine-treated platelets prepared by three different methods is significantly less than one (average of all results = 0.61). We conclude that about 39% of total actin in nonactivated tetracaine-treated platelets may be present as F-actin.
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000032:analysis*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D018260:Gelsolin; D006801:Humans; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000502:physiology; D011817:Rabbits; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018260:Gelsolin; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; C016953:brevin; D013748:Tetracaine