title: Small but mighty: Platelets as central effectors of host defense.
abstract: Platelets actively participate in inflammatory processes and drive diseases such as atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer metastasis. However, platelets also have anti-inflammatory and anti-infective properties, which have received less consideration in the past. In this review, we highlight recent findings on the role of platelets in host defense and describe regulatory pathways modulating immune responses. Furthermore, we discuss the role of platelets for the resolution of inflammation and tissue repair. These conceptual changes contribute to our understanding of platelet biology in disease.
authors.affiliation: Thomas J. Stocker, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig Maximilians-Universität, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany, E-mail: thomas.stocker@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Stocker
authors.forename: Hellen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishikawa-Ankerhold
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Massberg
authors.affiliation: Christian Schulz, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig Maximilians-Universität, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany, E-mail: christian.schulz@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schulz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D006487:Hemostasis; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015539:Platelet Activation; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition
keywords: Platelet immunology; inflammation; leukocyte function / activation; platelet physiology; sepsis