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Free access | 10.1172/JCI109321

Quantitative Assessment of Polymerized and Depolymerized Platelet Microtubules: CHANGES CAUSED BY AGGREGATING AGENTS

M. Steiner and Y. Ikeda

Division of Hematologic Research, The Memorial Hospital, Pawtucket, Rhode Island 02860

Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912

Find articles by Steiner, M. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

Division of Hematologic Research, The Memorial Hospital, Pawtucket, Rhode Island 02860

Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912

Find articles by Ikeda, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

Published March 1, 1979 - More info

Published in Volume 63, Issue 3 on March 1, 1979
J Clin Invest. 1979;63(3):443–448. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI109321.
© 1979 The American Society for Clinical Investigation
Published March 1, 1979 - Version history
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Abstract

The equilibrium between assembled and disassembled microtubules was studied in human platelets exposed to aggregating agents. Soluble and insoluble tubulin were “frozen” by addition of a glycerol-dimethyl sulfoxide-containing medium. The two pools were estimated by measuring the colchicine binding activities of total and polymerized tubulin. Resting platelets were found to contain an average of 56.2 μg tubulin/1 × 109 cells of which 56.7% was in polymerized form. Platelet aggregation induced by thrombin, ADP, epinephrine, or collagen produced a transient decrease in the pool of polymerized tubulin which was evident within 15 s after addition of the aggregating agent. A return to base-line values occurred within 1-4 min depending upon the specific aggregating agent used. Neither secretory release nor aggregation of platelets were found to be prerequisites for the temporary disturbance of the equilibrium between soluble and polymerized tubulin. With thrombin as the aggregating agent a clear threshold concentration could be demonstrated above with a dose-dependent dissociation response of microtubules was evident. We conclude that microtubules exist in a dynamic equilibrium between polymerized and depolymerized forms in human platelets, which is transiently disturbed by their interaction with aggregating agents.

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