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SUMMARY Serum elastase and its inhibitors were determined in the sera of heavily burnt patients. Serum elastase levels were elevated at two to eight days after a severe bum-accident and returned towards normal values from the 10th day on. Both oe,-antitrypsin and cV2-macroglobulin levels were also elevated in the sera of heavily burnt patients. acl-Antitrypsin showed a parallel evolution to the elastase level but 02-macroglobulin followed a somewhat different time curve. Plasminogen and antithrombin were not elevated significantly. It is suggested that serum elastase may play a role in tissue degradation in burnt patients.

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The addition of distilled water to platelet rich plasma converts the platelets into large spherocytes without lysis. This phenomenon implies an evagination of the platelet membrane which participates in the surface connecting system. An adaptation of the direct microscopic method (Milton & Frojmovic, 1979) to the Coulter Counter is reported. The maximum increase in platelet volume without platelet lysis was obtained for 120 m0sm. These volume changes are a consequence of a shift in the platelet volume distribution curve towards higher values without loss of log normality, while the volume dispersion is only slightly modified. This suggests that the amount of evaginable platelet membrane is correlated to the size of the platelet. The size parameters (volume, surface, diameter) of hypotonic-induced spherocytes closely agree with those reported in the original microscopic method. Application of this technique to ITP-platelets suggests a reduced evaginable platelet membrane; this fact probably reflects the abnormal demarcation of platelet territories at the megakaryocytic level.A direct morphometric technique has been described which assesses the state of invagination of human platelet plasma membranes (Milton & Frojmovic, 1979); this involves microscopic examination and size measurement of platelets under phase contrast before and after a standardized hypotonic stress. Normal disc-shaped platelets can be converted into large spherocytes without cell lysis and the increase in the platelet surface is thought to be the consequence of an evagination of the platelet membrane of the surface connecting system.