Epinephrine induces Ca2+ uptake in human blood platelets

Abstract
Human blood platelets isolated by albumin density gradient centrifugation take up Ca2+ during 10-6M epinephrine-induced primary aggregation but not during 10-6 M ADP-induced primary aggregation. Platelet uptake of Ca2+ is dose-dependent over a range of 10-7) to 10-5 M epinephrine. Antagonism of the platelet α-receptor by phentolamine (10-6 M) results in inhibition of both epinephrine-stimulated Ca2+ uptake and aggregation. The Ca2+ antagonist verapamil (50 μM) blocks Ca2+ uptake and epinephrine-induced aggregation, but not ADP-induced aggregation. The verapamil inhibition of aggregation is reduced on Ca2+ addition. These results suggest that epinephrine acts to stimulate primary platelet aggregation through a specific receptor interaction that results in a selective increase in platelet membrane permeability to Ca2+.

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