WEHI researchers have uncovered a new way to help identify babies and fetuses at high-risk of developing brain bleeds, paving the way for better early intervention.
May 02, 2022
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Scientists have shown in an animal model that the CXCL12 messenger could be suitable as a target structure for the treatment of blood-clotting disorders.
Apr 21, 2022
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In people with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), the body produces destructive antibodies against platelets in the blood, which increases the risk of bruising, bleeding, hospitalization, death, fatigue, and an impaired quality ...
Apr 15, 2022
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The Liquid Biopsy and Cancer Interception research group—part of the Biohealth Research Institute in Granada (ibs.GRANADA), in which researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) participate—has discovered that tumor ...
Mar 30, 2022
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Research carried out by RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has revealed new information about how blood clots are formed during wound healing.
Mar 11, 2022
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As a graduate student studying molecular cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic/Case Western Reserve University, John Hwa, MD, Ph.D., professor of medicine (cardiovascular medicine), found himself in an environment where many ...
Mar 10, 2022
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UWA scientists have discovered a surprising and significant link between burn injuries and heart disease.
Feb 14, 2022
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Cerebral venous thrombosis is a rare, often severe disease that has been brought to public attention by the COVID 19 pandemic. A research group from Würzburg has now succeeded for the first time in deciphering a molecular ...
Feb 11, 2022
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Using marijuana may lead to platelet dysfunction, according to a new study in nonhuman primates. Platelets, a component of blood, play a role in maintaining blood vessel (vascular) health and aid wound healing and placental ...
Feb 08, 2022
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Biomedical researchers at Case Western Reserve University report that their latest innovation in developing synthetic platelets could help save lives by rapidly stabilizing clots to reduce blood loss from traumatic injuries.
Jan 26, 2022
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Platelets, or thrombocytes (from Greek θρόμβος, "clot" and κύτος, "cell"), are small, irregularly shaped clear cell fragments (i.e. cells that do not have a nucleus containing DNA), 2–3 µm in diameter, which are derived from fragmentation of precursor megakaryocytes. The average lifespan of a platelet is normally just 5 to 9 days. Platelets are a natural source of growth factors. They circulate in the blood of mammals and are involved in hemostasis, leading to the formation of blood clots.
If the number of platelets is too low, excessive bleeding can occur. However, if the number of platelets is too high, blood clots can form (thrombosis), which may obstruct blood vessels and result in such events as a stroke, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism or the blockage of blood vessels to other parts of the body, such as the extremities of the arms or legs. An abnormality or disease of the platelets is called a thrombocytopathy, which could be either a low number of platelets (thrombocytopenia), a decrease in function of platelets (thrombasthenia), or an increase in the number of platelets (thrombocytosis). There are disorders that reduce the number of platelets, such as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) that typically cause thromboses, or clots, instead of bleeding.
Platelets release a multitude of growth factors including Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), a potent chemotactic agent, and TGF beta, which stimulates the deposition of extracellular matrix. Both of these growth factors have been shown to play a significant role in the repair and regeneration of connective tissues. Other healing-associated growth factors produced by platelets include basic fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth factor 1, platelet-derived epidermal growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor. Local application of these factors in increased concentrations through Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been used as an adjunct to wound healing for several decades.
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