title: Emerging evidence for platelets as immune and inflammatory effector cells.
abstract: While traditionally recognized for their roles in hemostatic pathways, emerging evidence demonstrates that platelets have previously unrecognized, dynamic roles that span the immune continuum. These newly recognized platelet functions, including the secretion of immune mediators, interactions with endothelial cells, monocytes, and neutrophils, toll-like receptor (TLR) mediated responses, and induction of neutrophil extracellular trap formation, bridge thrombotic and inflammatory pathways and contribute to host defense mechanisms against invading pathogens. In this focused review, we highlight several of these emerging aspects of platelet biology and their implications in clinical infectious syndromes.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Utah , Salt Lake City, UT , USA ; Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine , Salt Lake City, UT , USA ; Department of Internal Medicine, George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center , Salt Lake City, UT , USA.
authors.forename: Matthew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rondina
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine of Saint-Etienne, University of Lyon , Lyon , France ; French Blood Establishment, Auvergne-Loire , Saint-Etienne , France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Garraud
keywords: immunity; infection; pathogens; platelets; sepsis