Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion

Comprehensive Overview of Conditions that Affect Platelets

Hongie Chao^* Department of Haematology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
^*Correspondence: Hongie Chao, Department of Haematology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal, Email:

Received: 04-Oct-2022, Manuscript No. JBDT-22-18596; Editor assigned: 06-Oct-2022, Pre QC No. JBDT-22-18596 (PQ); Reviewed: 21-Oct-2022, QC No. JBDT-22-18596; Revised: 31-Oct-2022, Manuscript No. JBDT-22-18596 (R); Published: 08-Nov-2022, DOI: 10.4172/2155-9864.22.13.530

Description

Small blood cells called platelets aid in the formation of clots by the body to halt bleeding. The blood vessel will signal the platelets if it sustains damage. The platelets then hastily move to the damaged area and create a plug (clot) to repair the damage.

Adhesion is the term used to describe the process of spreading across the surface of a broken blood vessel to halt bleeding. This is due to the sticky tentacles that platelets develop as they reach the damage site, which aid in their ability to stick (adhere) to one another. In order to draw in new platelets, they also emit chemical messages. Aggregation, a process, is the accumulation of more platelets onto the clot.

Platelet organization

Actually, platelets are just circulating pieces of cells; they are not genuine cells. Even so, there are numerous features in platelets that are essential to halt bleeding despite the fact that they are basically pieces of cells. They have proteins on their surface that enable them to adhere to holes in the blood vessel wall as well as to one another. They include granules that can produce additional proteins necessary for forming a solid plug to seal blood artery breaches. Additionally, platelets include proteins that can change their shape when they become sticky, similar to the proteins found in muscles.

They get their name from the fact that they resemble plates. As seen in the other three images, platelets undergo morphological change in response to stimulation by a blood vessel wall breach. Long filaments are extended as they become rounded. They might even have extended tentacles stretching out to make touch with the blood vessel wall or other platelets, giving them the appearance of an octopus. Platelets then construct a plug to seal the blood artery break using these lengthy filaments.

Platelet activity

Platelets are the smallest blood cell and the lightest blood cell. As a result, they are pushed away from the blood's flow and onto the blood vessel's wall. They then move along the vessel wall's surface, which is lined by endothelium-containing cells. The endothelium has a highly unique surface that acts like Teflon in that nothing can stick to it. The strong fibres that surround blood vessels are exposed to the flowing blood, however, when there is an accident or cut and the endothelium layer is damaged. The platelets are the ones that respond to harm initially. Platelets are drawn to the tough fibres surrounding the vessel wall like a magnet, which causes them to alter shape as seen in the images above. Platelets then clump onto these fibres, creating the first seal to stop bleeding and the leakage of red blood cells and plasma through the vascular injury.

The colour image shows a microscopic representation of a drop of blood that has been spread out over a glass slide. Because of the lower magnification, the platelets appear to be much smaller than they do in the images above. It is evident that the platelets start to form a long string as soon as they come into contact with the glass. This exemplifies how platelets' primary purpose is to adhere to foreign surfaces before joining together. The round shape and thin centre of the red blood cells in this image are typical characteristics.

Platelet functions and disorders

Aspirin is the culprit behind the most prevalent abnormality of platelet function. The process through which platelets clump together is blocked by aspirin. Patients who suffer from thrombosis or blood clotting issues can benefit from aspirin because of its impact. For instance, aspirin is quickly administered to someone who presents to the emergency hospital with significant chest discomfort and a probable heart attack. By doing this, part of the platelet clumping that could impede the flow of blood to the heart is avoided. Although it partially paralyses the platelet, aspirin is an excellent medication for preventing these clots.

Platelet number disorders excessive platelets

The bone marrow overproduces platelets in a few rare situations, occasionally up to one million or two million per microliter.

Although some of these patients are at a higher risk for blood clots, many others with these conditions don't experience any issues.

Platelet number disorders insufficient platelets

Thrombocytopenias, a term derived from the previous name for platelets, "thrombocytes," are disorders with low platelet numbers. The term "platelets" refers to the cells (or "cytes," which is another word for cells) that aid in thrombosis, or blood clotting. Too few cells are indicated by the word's final "-penia" suffix.