'This promises a high impact at the clinical level,' said Capelluto.

But research by Finkielstein and Capelluto is looking at the platelet aggregation inhibitor process as a target for intervention to control bleeding and clotting. Thrombocytopenia (THROM-bo-si-to-PE-ne-ah) is a condition in which your blood has a lower than normal number of blood cell fragments called platelets. The PLoS ONE article stops with the definition of the chemistry of platelets' two responses to thrombin. Co-author John Welsh is now a graduate student in Finkielstein's lab. The thesis received the 2009 William Preston Society Thesis Award in Life Sciences for the best original research with potential to benefit all people. The study was Drahos' Master's thesis research, conducted in both Capelluto's and Finkielstein's labs. 'They are likely recycled for the next time they are needed,' said Capelluto. When no longer on high alert to regulate clotting, the Dab2 proteins return to the interior of the platelet. 'That is, sulfatides partition Dab2 into two pools - one pool that is part of the clotting process and one pool that prevents coagulation,' said Capelluto. Sulfatides sequester Dab2 proteins, preventing them from binding to the integrin receptor. If this is the case, Dab2 inhibits blood clotting.Įxperimentation and measurements by the Virginia Tech researchers revealed that Dab2 also binds to sulfatides, a lipid that also resides on the surface of platelets. When a platelet is stimulated, such as by thrombin, the protein Disabled-2 (Dab2) moves from where it is stored inside of the platelet to the surface, where it interacts with the integrin receptor. They can break their bonds with the network and thin or remove a clot - a good thing if the clot is blocking an artery, as in thrombosis or stroke. Hematology A&P 2 - 19.4 Blood 5. However, the platelets may not remain trapped. In people with ITP, the body produces antibodies that attack and. When there is tissue injury, thrombin converts fibrinogen into fibrin to form a network that traps red blood cells and platelets, creating a clot. latelets are cell fragments that are found in the blood and normally help the blood to clot. A protein that strongly promotes platelet activation through the integrin receptor is thrombin. One such membrane protein is the integrin receptor that resides on the surface of platelets. Capelluto.Ĭapelluto and Finkielstein study how proteins signal from biological membranes. and biological sciences Assistant Professors Carla V. Welsh, a biological sciences undergraduate student from Pennington, N.J. Drahos, biological sciences Master's degree student from Roanoke, Va. The Virginia Tech researchers describe how platelets perform this life-saving magic in the November 24 online issue of the journal PLoS ONE (Public Library of Science) in the article 'Sulfatides Partition Disabled-2 in Response to Platelet Activation,' by Karen E.

Platelets are cell fragments.