| AVS 60th International Symposium and Exhibition | |
| Biomaterial Interfaces | Monday Sessions |
| Session BI+AS+IS+NL-MoM |
| Session: | Surfaces to Control Cell Response |
| Presenter: | I. Reviakine, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany |
| Authors: | S. Gupta, CIC biomaGUNE, Spain I. Reviakine, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Platelet are anuclear cell fragments circulating in blood. Their major function is haemostasis: they catalyze the formation of the fibrin clot that stops the bleeding. Recently it was shown that they have a multitude of other functions in processes such as the immune response, inflammation, angiogenesis, implant rejection or integration.
Platelets circulate in the blood in a quiescent form. They become activated at wound sites, implant surfaces, or through the action of soluble agonists secreted by activated platelets or produced in the blood as a result of the clotting process. Activated platelets express on their surface a variety of protein and lipid receptors that catalyze the clotting process, interact with other platelets, leukocytes, and endothelial cells, and adhere to the extracellular matrix exposed at the wound sites. The also secrete a variety of active substances, including growth factors, that are stored inside special granules within the platelets.
Recently discovered diversity of platelet functions implies a tight regulation of the activation processes. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that platelet activation is a selective process with a spectrum of activated states, rather than a two-state process involving quiescent vs. pro-coagulant platelets. In this context, we have previously shown that platelet activation profile on TiO2 depends on the surface-bound Ca. Here, we measure intracellular calcium currents in surface-adsorbed platelets in order to understand how this manifestation of platelet activation selectivity is related to the internal signaling pathways. Such an understanding is a prerequisite for designing new, platelet-based approaches to the treatment of haemostatic and inflammation-based disorders, to enhancing implant integration and wound repair, and to tissue engineering applications.