Effects of Some Chemicals on Blood Platelet Microtubules, Platelet Shape and Some Platelet Functions in vitro

Abstract

Human blood platelets were treated in vitro with various chemicals to test whether a chemical which affects microtubules (demecolcine) also affects platelet shape and platelet function (aggregation and contraction) and whether chemicals which affect platelet function (cyanide, monoidoacetate, cyanide plus monoiodoacetate, fluoride, Ouabain, N-ethylmaleimide, Mersalyl, and cocaine) also affect platelet shape and platelet microtubules. It is concluded that an intact marginal bundle of microtubules is essential for the maintenance of platelet shape but intact microtubules are not essential for ADPinduced platelet aggregation or for clot retraction.