title: Calcium mobilization in density subpopulations of rabbit washed platelets.
abstract: To estimate the responsiveness of an individual platelet, rather than a group of platelets, we determined the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) of single platelets using digital imaging microscopy after density fractionation. The mean [Ca2+]i of non-fractionated resting single platelets was 74.0 +/- 4.2 nM (n = 71). Immediately after thrombin stimulation (100 mu/ml), [Ca2+]i increased markedly in the entire cytoplasm, reaching maximum levels of 400-1000 nM, and decreased slightly thereafter. These maximum levels varied markedly from cell to cell in non-fractionated platelets. Although there was no significant difference in the resting levels of [Ca2+]i of single platelets even after density fractionation, the peak [Ca2+]i levels after thrombin stimulation (10 and 100 mu/ml) in platelets with higher density ( > 1.062) were significantly higher than those in platelets with intermediate density (1.052-1.061) or lower density ( < 1.051). This higher responsiveness of higher-density platelets in calcium mobilization was accompanied by higher aggregability and higher reactivity in the release reaction. These results suggest that higher responsiveness in higher-density platelets may be explained by the higher reactivity in [Ca2+]i mobilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Majima
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D002452:Cell Count; D002469:Cell Separation; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium