Platelets And The Vessel Wall Fibrin Deposition

Platelets are essential mediators of the physiologic process of hemostasis and pathologic thrombosis. While platelets do not interact with vascular walls under normal conditions, vascular injury or inflammation result in a coordinated series of events including platelet adhesion, aggregation, and promotion of coagulation. In this review, we describe the primary mechanisms involved in these responses in various vascular beds of both macro- and microvessels, and outline key unresolved aspects of these important interactions.

The publication of Platelet-Vessel Wall Interactions, the second monograph in the Bloomsbury Series in Clinical Science, is particu larly welcome as its appearance signifies the further development of the Series and its potential for the future. The theme of this monograph is the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, a topic that symbolises the aim of the Series, namely to highlight the important interfaces between basic medical science and clinical practice. Our congratulations to the Editors and contributors. London, December 1987 lack Tinker Preface In the Western world, atherosclerosis causes more illness and death than any other disease. Despite its devastating effects, the pathogenesis of the disease remains a matter for hypothesis and con jecture. This monograph owes its conception to a programme of work directed towards understanding the basic pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. The circulatory system is lined by vascular endothelium which has a central role in maintaining the integrity of the vessel wall and prevent ing thrombosis. The natural equilibrium existing between normal en dothelium which supports blood flow, and platelets which serve to re pair damaged endothelium, is explored in the first two chapters. Atherosclerosis developing as a response to endothelial injury is one hypothesis which has stimulated widespread interest, and re search has largely been directed towards finding the injurious agent.

Platelets, Thrombosis and the Vessel Wall aims to highlight the key areas of platelet function in the regulation of haemostasis and thrombosis and covers areas such as platelet production, interaction of platelets with leucocytes, mechanisms of cross-talk between platelets, leukocytes, and endothelium. The two major clinical causes of thrombosis, anti-phospholipid antibodies and genetic predisposition, are also addressed.

The publication of Platelet-Vessel Wall Interactions, the second monograph in the Bloomsbury Series in Clinical Science, is particu larly welcome as its appearance signifies the further development of the Series and its potential for the future. The theme of this monograph is the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, a topic that symbolises the aim of the Series, namely to highlight the important interfaces between basic medical science and clinical practice. Our congratulations to the Editors and contributors. London, December 1987 lack Tinker Preface In the Western world, atherosclerosis causes more illness and death than any other disease. Despite its devastating effects, the pathogenesis of the disease remains a matter for hypothesis and con jecture. This monograph owes its conception to a programme of work directed towards understanding the basic pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. The circulatory system is lined by vascular endothelium which has a central role in maintaining the integrity of the vessel wall and prevent ing thrombosis. The natural equilibrium existing between normal en dothelium which supports blood flow, and platelets which serve to re pair damaged endothelium, is explored in the first two chapters. Atherosclerosis developing as a response to endothelial injury is one hypothesis which has stimulated widespread interest, and re search has largely been directed towards finding the injurious agent.

This book reviews current science and applications in fields including thrombosis and hemostasis, signal transduction, and non-thrombotic conditions such as inflammation, allergy and tumor metastasis. It is a detailed, up-to-date, highly referenced text for clinical scientists and physicians, including recent developments in this rapidly expanding field. More than a scientific resource, this is also an authoritative reference and guide to the diagnosis.