Platelet GPIIb-IIIa: molecular variations and alloantigens.

Recent advances in molecular and cellular biology have made it possible to build upon previous serologic and biochemical studies of glycoproteins IIb and IIIa in important and exciting ways. In addition to providing a detailed basic understanding of the polymorphisms that are responsible for Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, and in other cases for eliciting an alloimmune response, the molecular characterization of platelet membrane glycoprotein polymorphisms is expected to have an increasingly large clinical impact. As the molecular basis of the remaining platelet antigen systems becomes known, our ability to design novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for the care and management of patients with PTP and NATP should improve. For Glanzmann's disease, the future holds the promise of gene therapy to correct the platelet abnormality. Establishment of animal models for GT will be an important first step in this direction.