Adhesive proteins in platelet-endothelial interactions.

Adhesion molecules mediate the interaction between endothelium and platelets as well as other blood cells and the endothelium. The structure and function of some of these molecules will be reviewed and discussed. The expression of these molecules is largely affected by disease states such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiac failure. Determination of adhesion molecules expressed on the surface of endothelial cells and platelets by cytoflowmetry enables a new approach to estimate the activity state of these cells and might be helpful to identify patients with an increased thrombotic risk.