Comparison of surface charge and ADP induced electrokinetic behaviour of fetal and adult platelets: 79

Abstract

The electrophoretic mobility of washed platelets as well as of platelets suspended in diluted plasma obtained from adults and newborns was practically the same. No significant difference could be observed in the pH-mobility relationship of the two types of platelets. These comparative studies indicate that the actual charge density, i.e. the number and sign of the charges groups at the fetal and adult platelet surface are essentially identical.Significant difference between the two platelet population was found, however, in the mobility changes induced by ADP. On the basis of "cross over" experiments between the platelets and plasma of adults and newborns it seems likely that the different behaviour of fetal platelets arises from a dissimilarity between adult and fetal plasma. The adult plasma might have a factor which is not present in the fetal plasma. Preliminary results indicate that this factor is a plasma component with mol.wt. about 10 000.