title: Polyphosphate: a new player in the field of hemostasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Polyphosphate (polyP) is an inorganic polymer that has recently been shown to be secreted by activated platelets. It is a potent modulator of the blood clotting and complement systems in hemostasis, thrombosis, and inflammation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This review focuses on what is currently known about which blood cells secrete polyP, and the roles that polyP plays in modulating the blood clotting and complement systems in health and disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PolyP is a novel player in normal hemostasis and likely plays roles in thrombotic diseases and also in host responses to pathogens. It is also potentially a drug target, as its contributions to hemostasis appear to be to accelerate blood clotting but are not required for blood clotting to happen.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Morrissey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001491:Basophils / Q000378:metabolism; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011122:Polyphosphates