title: [Ultrastructural study of platelets patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a hemolytic anemia characterized by intravascular hemolysis, cytopenias and venous thrombosis. Previous studies in patients with PNH have shown platelet abnormalities; however, their association with the clinical development of the sickness has not still been determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we compared the morphology and distribution pattern of actin, myosin, tubulin and p-selectin in resting and activated platelets from 22 PNH patients and healthy donors by transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PNH platelet ultrastructure of resting and activated with different agonists (ADP, collagen and thrombin) showed morphological changes which suggested the presence of circulating platelets. The developed structures during the adhesion process (filopodia and lamellipodia formation), as well as the pattern distribution of actin, myosin, tubulin and p-selectin in PNH platelets were not modified in relation to control platelets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Morphological changes in resting platelets were related with p-selectin expression suggesting its determination as thrombosis indicator.
authors.affiliation: Depto. Morfología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, IPN.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: Elba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reyes-Maldonado
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vela-Ojeda
authors.forename: Moisés
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xolotl-Castillo
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Montiel-Cervantes
authors.forename: Doris A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cerecedo-Mercado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D006457:Hemoglobinuria, Paroxysmal / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015539:Platelet Activation