Platelet function testing by flow cytometry.

The availability of fluorescent monoclonal antibodies and probes now provides a powerful tool for examining platelet function by flow cytometry. These techniques cna be employed to determine the resting and stimulated expression of platelet glycoprotein receptors, the activation status of platelets assessed by secretion of granule contents (including expression of activation-dependent neoantigens), adhesion ligand binding to platelets, and intracellular calcium flux after exposure of platelets to agonist. In addition, flow cytometry has now been used to study the functional properties of stimulated platelets, including microparticle generation, platelet aggregation, and platelet-heterotypic cell conjugate formation. This brief review is presented as a general outline of the literature that uses flow cytometric methodology to examine in vivo and ex vivo platelet function.