9] Nitric oxide in platelets

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the regulation of nitric oxide (NO) in platelets. Platelets are blood elements that are involved in physiological reactions ensuring the integrity of vessel walls, known as hemostasis. The regulation of platelet function is of paramount importance for vascular homeostasis. Platelet reactions that occur in response to physiological or pathological stimuli are qualitatively similar and form a chain of interdependent and superimposed steps. They are often referred to as adhesion, which denotes an initial platelet contact to altered biological or nonbiological surfaces, and aggregation, which describes dynamic platelet–platelet interactions leading to the formation of a hemostatic plug. The hemostatic plug is then reinforced with fibrin and subsequent fibrinolytic and tissue repair reactions lead to the restoration of normal blood flow. The appreciation of the platelet-regulatory actions of NO stimulates research efforts aim at elucidation of the biological significance of the mediator in vascular homeostasis and hemostasis. One can investigate the hemostatic actions of NO on platelets or use platelets as a sensitive bioassay system to detect NO generated by other biological or nonbiological systems.