Flow Cytometry of Intracellular Calcium in Platelets

Document from the year 2012 in the subject Medicine - Pharmacology, , language: English, abstract: During the last years flow cytometry has been developed into an important diagnostic tool with a wide range of applications. Whereas the differentiation of leukocytes is most often encountered, flow cytometry also renders itself especially useful in the study of platelets. Commonly, surface markers are of key interest, but the fact that platelets can be conveniently activated in vitro offers the opportunity to investigate intracellular signal transduction processes, which lead to the release of calcium into the cytosol. And it is this rise of intracellular calcium that flow cytometry is able to detect in real time through the use of suitable calcium-sensitive markers. It is the aim of this book to put together an overview of this technique and therefore to provide a sound starting ground for its application to clinical and experimental investigations and also for its further development.