Summary
The kinetics, activation, pH dependence and inhibition of platelet aggregation induced
by ADP were studied by recording the OD of stirred PRP from blood anticoagulated with
acid-citrate-dextrose solution. There was a lag period between the addition of ADP
and the initiation of aggregation. Addition of ADP in the absence of stirring or ionized
calcium did not cause aggregation. When aggregation was subsequently initiated by
stirring or the addition of CaCl2 there was no lag period. The steepest slope of the OD curve was used as the reaction
velocity (V). It was affected by the concentration of calcium ions and was maximum
at pH 8.0. When the ADP concentration was varied in the presence of different concentrations
of ionized calcium, the overall kinetics revealed a series of rectangular hyperbola
segments which did not pass through the origin. These observations led to the conclusion
that the overall reaction can be depicted as a chain reaction: ADP interacts reversibly
with platelets; when calcium is present these platelets become “sticky” and, when
stirred, they aggregate. Kinetic studies of inhibition indicated that adenosine is
a competitive inhibitor of ADP. The guanidino compounds tested were noncompetitive
with respect to ADP but their inhibitory activity was counteracted by calcium.