Haematologica Reports 2005; 1(issue 9): 5-8 [prev][index][next]
Tissue factor-bearing microparticles and
cancer-associated thrombosis
Furie B, Zwicker J, LaRocca T , Kos C, Bauer B, Furie BC
Center for Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research, Vascular Biology
Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Department of
Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
Microparticles were first described in normal blood as platelet
dust.1 Sims carefully studied the generation of platelet
microparticles during platelet activation by
complement.2 These platelet microparticles bind to
Factor Va and support prothrombinase activity3 as well
as bind to Factor VIII.4 Since these reports, hundreds
of studies have monitored microparticles, primarily using flow
cytometry and light scattering, and correlated microparticle
antigen expression within diverse groups of diseases. However,
microparticles have been subjected to limited chemical analysis,
including their lipid and protein content. [>Read full article in PDF]
