Thromb Haemost 2005; 94(05): 916-925
DOI: 10.1160/TH05-02-0121
Review Article
Schattauer GmbH

Understanding platelets

Lessons from proteomics, genomics and promises from network analysis
Marcus Dittrich
1   Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter
2   Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
Ingvild Birschmann
2   Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
Christiane Stuhlfelder
3   Rudolf Virchow-Center for Experimental Biomedicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
Albert Sickmann
3   Rudolf Virchow-Center for Experimental Biomedicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
Sabine Herterich
2   Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
Bernhard Nieswandt
2   Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
3   Rudolf Virchow-Center for Experimental Biomedicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
Ulrich Walter
2   Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
,
Thomas Dandekar
1   Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter
4   EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany
› Author Affiliations

Financial support: The original research of the authors is supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 20 February 2005

Accepted after resubmission: 03 August 2005

Publication Date:
14 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

New large-scale analysis techniques such as bioinformatics, mass spectrometry and SAGE data analysis will allow a new framework for understanding platelets. This review analyses some important options and tasks for these tools and examines an outline of the new, refined picture of the platelet outlined by these new techniques. Looking at the platelet-specific building blocks of genome, (active) transcriptome and proteome (notably secretome and phospho-proteome), we summarize current bioinformatical and biochemical approaches, tasks as well as their limitations. Understanding the surprisingly complex platelet regarding compartmentalization, key cascades, and pathways including clinical implications will remain an exciting and hopefully fruitful challenge for the future.