The Platelet Research Laboratory performs additional assays, equally important for the analysis of the mechanisms involved in alterations of hemostasis and the pathogenesis of thrombosis:

• Protein isolation by electrophoresis.
• Immunocytochemistry assays to detect cellular receptors or extracellular matrix proteins.
• Signal transduction analysis by detection of phosphotyrosin proteins associated to cytoskeleton.
• Detection of mRNA by Northern blot.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription (RT) assays.
• Coagulation tests: Fragment F1+2 test and D-Dimer test.
• Blood Viscometry: measurement of erythrocyte deformability and aggregation.

1. Electrophoretic gel to detect phosphotyrosin proteins after platelet adhesion onto collagen.
2. Light micrograph showing annexin V in activated platelets as detected after immunogold staining.
3. Light micrographs showing platelet-derived microparticles onto perfused subendothelium detected by immunofluorescence (A) that correlates to fibrin formation in the same sample (B).
4. Northern blot analysis of Tissue Factor mRNA as detected in endothelial cells incubated with desmopressin.
5. Erythrocyte aggregation is responsible for non-newtonian behavior of blood viscosity under low shear rates.
6. Immunocytochemical detection of endothelial cell antigens as seen throug epipolarization microscopy (right). Compare to transilumination (left).

(Pictures have been provided by Dr. G. Escolar, Dr. M. Diaz-Ricart and Dr. A.M. Galán).

See bibliografy

Last update: April 26, 2008