Mechanisms of Platelet Activation and Control, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1993 Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology Series, Vol. 344

Recent years have seen tremendous advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanism of platelet activation. All aspects of signal transduction in platelets from the identification of surface receptors, G proteins, phospholipases, protein kinases and phosphatases, intracellular receptors for inositol phosphates, the Ca2+ regulatory machinery, cytoskeletal constituents to the control mechanism employing cyclic nucleotides has seen an explosion of information regarding their importance and for each constituent in the family of molecules to which they belong. This information has been of interest to researchers across a wide spectrum of disciplines including biochemists, pharmacologists, cell biologists and clinicians. In April 1992 an International Symposium bearing the name of this volume was organised at the Thrombosis Research Institute to bring together scientists from across the world whose common interest was the study of platelet activation and its regulation. We were particularly encouraged by the positive response from our speakers and the participants, their detailed contributions and the very lively discussions that took place throughout the two days of the symposium. Almost every aspect of signal transduction in human platelets was represented. Of the invited speakers twelve were from Europe (including the U. K. ), eight from North America and one from Japan. This volume is a compilation of chapters submitted by the speakers and represents a concise but informative picture of the present knowledge of the mechanisms of platelet activation and control.

The Platelet as a Ca2+-driven Cell: Mechanisms which may Modulate Ca2+-driven Responses.- Agonist Receptors and G Proteins as Mediators of Platelet Activation.- Regulation of Phosphoinositide-Specific Phospholipase C Activity in Human Platelets.- RAP1B and Platelet Function.- Calcium Signalling and Phosphoinositide Metabolism in Platelets: Subsecond Events Revealed by Quenched-Flow Techniques.- Calcium Influx Mechanisms and Signal Organisation in Human Platelets.- Ca2+ Homeostasis and Intracellular Pools in Human Platelets.- The Use of Inhibitors of Protein Kinases and Protein Phosphatases to Investigate the Role of Protein Phosphorylation in Platelet Activation.- Serine/Threonine Kinases in Signal Transduction in Response to Thrombin in Human Platelets: Use of 17—hydroxywortmannin to discriminate signals.- Tyrosine Phosphorylation in Platelets: its Regulation and Possible Roles in Platelet Functions.- Evidence that Activation of Phospholipase D can Mediate Secretion from Permeabilized Platelets.- Inositol Lipid Metabolism, the Cytoskeleton, Glycoprotein Ilb IIIa and platelets.- Regulation of Platelet Function by the Cytoskeleton.- Cytoskeletal Interactions of Raplb in Platelets.- Mechanisms Involved in Platelet Procoagulant Response.- Histamine as an Intracellular Messenger in Human Platelets.- Platelet Activation via Binding of Monoclonal Antibodies to the Fc? Receptor II.- Functional Relationship between Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Phosphorylation and Platelet Inhibition.- Role of Cyclic Nucleotide-Dependent Protein Kinases and their Common Substrate VASP in the Regulation of Human Platelets.- The Biological and Pharmacological Role of Nitric Oxide in Platelet Function.- Contributors.