What is plateletMAP?
An interactive site where you can learn about platelet interactions and functions in the body, ask questions, contribute knowledge and build a network. Go to plateletMAP!
Why plateletMAP?
Have you ever wondered why platelet activation, depression and gut dysbiosis could be connected? Or why taking aspirin has anti-thrombotic effects but could also cause bleeding?
Usually, information about platelets is organized in chapters or by discipline. But platelets don't care about different branches of medicine like hematology, oncology, immunology, gastroenterology, neurology etc. Platelets connect everything. The purpose of plateletMAP™ is to show the connections and to help users understand the connections.
plateletMAP™ is an interactive educational tool about platelets. You can start with the body, jump to the body parts to learn about platelet interactions/functions and hover over words to get more information. You can also go to the map for a holistic view and see how everything is connected. Please leave comments and suggestions to help build this site into a comprehensive resource.
plateletMAP™ is free. It is sponsored by PlaDisco, a non-profit research organization founded by Dr. Elisabeth Maurer-Spurej.
One trillion defenders.
A person typically has 1 trillion platelets circulate in their blood, based on an average blood volume of 5 liters and an average platelet count of 200,000 per microliter. Platelets are our first line defenders against foreign substances or pathogens (innate immune cells). Platelets also prevent and stop bleeding by filling holes in blood vessels (hemostatic/clot forming cells). Although the immune and hemostatic function are two distinct roles platelets perform, they utilize some of the same cellular mechanisms, collectively known as platelet activation.
Platelet activation. Necessary dualism.
Resting and activated states of platelets are natural and necessary. Resting and activated platelets perform differently in blood vessels, in the immune system (liver and spleen), and in communication with the gut. Megakaryocytes in the bone marrow produce resting platelets. Platelets get activated as they fulfill their roles as innate immune cells and hemostatic cells.
What is platelet activation?
Platelets activate in response to stress. Platelet activation shows as a change in :
shape from a resting to an activated form,
surface characteristics (expression of markers like CD62, CD40L and Fcγ receptors),
and fragmentation into microparticles.
By releasing microparticles or substances such as serotonin, platelets communicate with other cells or parts of the body.
All of these changes can be measured to determine the activation status of platelets.
What leads to platelet activation?
Platelets are extremely sensitive and respond to temperatures below 30°C and above 42°C, high shear forces, pathogens and many chemicals. This is necessary for their role as defenders of the body. Wounds, stress and leaky gut lead to platelet activation.
An interesting aside is the association of dysbiosis with depression. It was found that platelets in the blood of depressed patients contain significantly lower amounts of serotonin and show high levels of activation.