Abstract
Platelets play an essential role in hemostasis through aggregation and adhesion to vascular injury sites but their unnecessary activation can often lead to thrombotic diseases. Upon exposure to physical or biochemical stimuli, remarkable platelet shape changes precede aggregation or adhesion. Platelets shape changes facilitate the formation and adhesion of platelet aggregates, but are readily reversible in contrast to the irrevocable characteristics of aggregation and adhesion. In this dynamic phenomenon, complex molecular signaling pathways and a host of diverse cytoskeleton proteins are involved. Platelet shape change is easily primed by diverse pro-thrombotic xenobiotics and stimuli, and its inhibition can modulate thrombosis, which can ultimately contribute to the development or prevention of thrombotic diseases. In this review, we discussed the current knowledge on the mechanisms of platelet shape change and also pathological implications and therapeutic opportunities for regulating the related cytoskeleton dynamics.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 223-230 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Biomolecules and Therapeutics |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2017 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (NRF-2016R1C1B3009116).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology.
Keywords
- Adhesion
- Aggregation
- Cytoskeleton dynamics
- Platelet shape changes
- Thrombosis