Platelets in Thrombotic and Non-Thrombotic Disorders : Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics

This book reviews current science and applications of platelets research in fields including thrombosis and hemostasis, signal transduction, and non-thrombotic conditions such as inflammation, allergy and tumor metastasis. It is a detailed, up-to-date, highly referenced text for clinical scientists and physicians, including recent developments in this rapidly expanding field. More than a scientific resource, this is also an authoritative reference and guide to the diagnosis and therapeutics of diseases involving platelets. Chapters are devised to provide a critical review of the most clinically relevant aspects of the subject Prologue; Part I. Physiology: 1. History of platelets; 2. Production of platelets; 3. Morphology and ultrastructure of platelets; 4. Platelet heterogeneity: physiology and pathological consequences; 5. Platelet membrane proteins as adhesion receptors; 6. Dynamics of the platelet cytoskeleton; 7. Platelet organelles; 8. Platelet receptors for thrombin; 9. Platelet receptors: ADP; 10. Platelet receptors: prostanoids; 11. Platelet receptors: collagen; 12. Platelet receptors: von Willebrand factor; 13. Platelet receptor: fibrinogen; 14. Platelet signalling: GTP-binding proteins; 15. Platelet phospholipases A2; 16. Roles of phospholipase C and phospholipase D in receptor-mediated platelet activation; 17. Platelet signalling: calcium; 18. Platelet signalling: protein kinase; 19. Platelet signalling: tyrosine kinases; 20. Platelet signalling: cAMP and cGMP; 21. Platelet adhesion; 22. The platelet shape change; 23. Aggregation; 24. Amplification loops: release reaction; 25. Amplification loops: thromboxane generation; 26. Platelet procoagulant activities: the amplification loops between platelets and the plasmatic clotting system; 27. Platelets and chemotaxis; 28. Platelet-leukocyte interactions relevant to vascular damage and thrombosis; 29. Vascular control of platelet function; Part II. Methodology: 30. In vitro assays for evaluating platelet functions; 31. Monitoring antiplatelet therapy; 32. Flow cytometric analysis of platelets function; 33. Animal models of platelet-dependent thrombosis; Part III. Pathology: A. Hemostasis: 34. Hereditary thrombocytopenias; 35. Thrombocytopenias due to bone marrow disorders; 36. Immune mediated thrombocytopenia; 37. Thrombocytopenia in childhood; 38. Alloimmune thrombocytopenia; 39. Drug-induced and drug-dependent immune thrombocytopenias; 40. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and hemolytic uremic syndrome; 41. Thrombocytosis and thrombocythemia; 42. Platelet adhesive protein defect disorders; 43. Congenital disorders of platelet secretion; 44. Congenital platelet signal transduction defects; 45. Acquired platelet function defects; 46. Platelet storage and transfusion; B. Thrombosis: 47. Phatophysiology of arterial thrombosis; 48. Platelets and atherosclerosis; 49. Platelet involvement in venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism; 50. Gene regulation of platelet function; C. Non-hemostatic disorders: 51. Platelets and bacterial infections; 52. Interactions of viruses and platelets and the inactivation of viruses in platelet concentrates prepared for transfusion; 53. Platelets and parasites; 54. Platelets and tumours; 55. Platelets and renal diseases; 56. Platelets and allergic diseases; 57. Platelet interactions with other cells related to inflammatory diseases; 58. Platelets and the preimplantation stage of embryo development; 59. Platelet in psychiatric and neurological disorders; 60. Platelets in inflammatory bowel disease; Part IV. Pharmacology: 61. Aspirin; 62. Pharmacology of ticlopidine clopidogrel; 63. Platelet membrane glycoprotein (GP) IIb1-IIIa antagonists and acute arterial thrombosis; 64. Other antiplatelet agents; 65. Pharmacogenetics as a new antiplatelet strategy; 66. Cardiovascular gene therapy: implications for platelet vessel wall interactions; 67. Pharmacological modulation of the inflammatory actions of platelets; Part V. Therapy: 68. Design of trials to evaluate antiplatelet agents; 69. Antiplatelet therapy in cardiology; 70. Antiplatelet therapies in neurology; 71. Antiplatelet treatment in peripheral vascular disease