Thromb Haemost 2009; 102(06): 1149-1156
DOI: 10.1160/TH09-05-0289
Review Article
Schattauer GmbH

Platelet response heterogeneity in thrombus formation

Imke C. A. Munnix*
1   Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
,
Judith M. E. M. Cosemans*
1   Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
,
Jocelyn M. Auger
2   Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences Institute of Biomedical Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
,
Johan W. M. Heemskerk
1   Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
› Author Affiliations

Financial support: This work was supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO, 11–400–0076).
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 06 May 2009

Accepted after minor revision: 09 July 2009

Publication Date:
28 November 2017 (online)

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Summary

Vascular injury leads to formation of a structured thrombus as a consequence of platelet activation and aggregation, thrombin and fibrin formation, and trapping of leukocytes and red cells. This review summarises current evidence for heterogeneity of platelet responses and functions in the thrombus-forming process. Environmental factors contribute to response heterogeneity, as the platelets in a thrombus adhere to different substrates, and sense specific (ant)agonists and rheological conditions. Contraction of platelets and interaction with fibrin and other blood cells cause further response variation. On the other hand, response heterogeneity can also be due to intrinsic differences between platelets in age and in receptor and signalling proteins. As a result, at least three subpopulations of platelets are formed in a thrombus: aggregating platelets with (reversible) integrin activation, procoagulant (coated) platelets exposing phosphatidylserine and binding coagulation factors, and contracting platelets with cell-cell contacts. This recognition of thrombus heterogeneity has implications for the use and development of antiplatelet medication.

* These authors contributed equally.