Measruement of the platelet response to laserinduced microvascular injury. Ultrastructural studies.

Abstract

Summary Microvascular injury was produced in rabbit mesentery and ear chamber preparations using a biolaser. Ultrastructural studies of the injury sites revealed damage to the endothelium which showed cytoplasmic swelling and flocculation. Complete destruction of the endothelium was not observed, indicating that sub endothelial structures were not exposed to blood flow. Microvascular thrombi which occurred at the sites of injury were composed of platelets which in general were loosely packed and showed minor alterations in shape and internal structure. Erythrocytes appeared to be heavily damaged by the laser injury. Fibrin was not observed. It is concluded that ADP may be released from red blood cells, and possibly from other sources, as a result of the laser injury, and that the platelet thrombus formation is induced by ADP.