MICROPIPETTE ASPIRATION OF HUMAN-PLATELETS - INFLUENCE OF MICROTUBULES AND ACTIN-FILAMENTS ON DEFORMABILITY

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 64  (1) , 210-214
Abstract
The deformability of human platelets was evaluated by micropipette aspiration. Control discoid platelets were .apprx. 10 times as resistant to deformation in the micropipette as red blood cells. Under a constant negative pressure of 10 cm H2O, control platelets developed extension lengths of 0.74 .+-. 0.1 .mu.m. Prior treatment with vincristine, colchicine or low temperature, all of which remove platelet microtubules, was associated with marked increases in lengths of aspirated segments. Taxol or heavy water, which stabilize microtubules, prevented the increased deformability caused by agents that dissolve microtubules. Cytochalasin B, an agent that inhibits assembly of actin microfilaments, also caused an increase in lengths of aspirated segments that could not be prevented by taxol. Vincristine and cytochalasin B, together, caused a greater increase in deformability than either agent alone. Important roles were indicated for microtubules and microfilaments in platelet deformability.