The influence of intrinsic coagulation pathway on blood platelets activation by oxidized cellulose.

Oxidized cellulose is an effective hemostat that works naturally to aid in blood coagulation. The mechanism of its action is not very well understood. Little effect on blood coagulation, but a pronounce decrease in platelet count has been reported upon the addition of the oxidized cellulose to the whole blood. As a marker of platelet activation and aggregation we used serotonin release reaction and turbidity changes in time. We found that oxidized cellulose did not activate washed platelets reconstituted in plasma-free medium or plasma-free medium with fibrinogen; no reduction of platelet count was observed. Serotonin release in platelet-rich plasma incubated with oxidized cellulose started in the range from 5 to 10 min. Serotonin release from platelets reconstituted in plasma deficient in either coagulation factor V, VIII, IX, or XII was delayed. Blood platelets activation by oxidized cellulose requires calcium ions present in dispersion of oxidized cellulose. Factor XIII deficiency had no influence on blood platelets activation by oxidized cellulose. Our results clearly indicate the significance of intrinsic coagulation pathway activation on blood platelets activation by oxidized cellulose and so indirectly on the hemostyptic effect of oxidized cellulose.

Albumin and heparin multilayer coatings for blood-contacting medical devices.

Three types of covalently crosslinked assemblies consisting of multiple (1) molecular layers of human serum albumin (HSA); (2) alternating layers of HSA and unfractionated heparin; and (3) alternating layers of HSA and partly depolymerized heparin fixed with one end to HSA were prepared on various surfaces. Adsorption of fibrinogen, IgG, and antithrombin (ATIII) from human citrated plasma on coated surfaces was evaluated by ELISA. Fibrinogen adsorption on coated ELISA plates was lower than that on bare polystyrene. There was no IgG adsorption on the HSA coating alone, but considerably high IgG adsorption was detected on the heparin-containing surface. The adsorption of ATIII increased with increasing heparin on the surface. The effect of multilayer coatings on platelets was tested by incubation of modified vascular prostheses with citrated blood. The most favorable interaction with platelets was observed on the HSA assembly. The interaction of platelets with the surface bearing unfractionated heparin was higher than that of the surface covered with partly depolymerized heparin. The long-term durability of the HSA-heparin coating was proven by a 21-day implantation of coated polyurethane plates in goat heart.

Image analysis of blood platelets adhesion.

Adhesion of blood platelets is one of the major events in haemostatic and thrombotic processes. We studied adhesion of blood platelets on fibrinogen and fibrin dimer sorbed on solid support material (glass, polystyrene). Adhesion was carried on under static and dynamic conditions and measured as percentage of the surface covered with platelets. Within a range of platelet counts in normal and in thrombocytopenic blood we observed a very significant decrease in platelet adhesion on fibrin dimer with bounded active thrombin with decreasing platelet count. Our results show the imperative use of platelet poor blood preparations as control samples in experiments with thrombocytopenic blood. Experiments carried on adhesive surfaces sorbed on polystyrene showed lower relative inaccuracy than on glass. Markedly different behaviour of platelets adhered on the same adhesive surface, which differed only in support material (glass or polystyrene) suggest that adhesion and mainly spreading of platelets depends on physical quality of the surface. While on polystyrene there were no significant differences between fibrin dimer and fibrinogen, adhesion measured on glass support material markedly differed between fibrin dimer and fibrinogen. We compared two methods of thresholding in image analysis of adhered platelets. Results obtained by image analysis of spreaded platelets showed higher relative inaccuracy than results obtained by image analysis of platelets centres and aggregates.