Understanding how tetraspanin superfamily members modulate platelet function

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Platelets are small cells in the blood stream that play an important role in preventing excessive blood loss at sites of tissue injury by sticking together and forming a haemostatic plug. Excessive platelet clumping in diseased blood vessels can lead to blockages and cause thrombotic diseases such as heart attack and stroke, two of the biggest killers of humans in the western world. In this proposal, we will seek to understand how tetraspanin superfamily members expressed on the surface of platelets modulate the function of the major platelet integrin, integrin alphaIIbbeta3 and the low-affinity IgG receptor, FcgammaRIIa. This aims of this work will define the roles of these receptors in platelet clumping both in cell-based assays and in mouse models of thrombosis. This work could lead to new strategies for therapeutic management of thrombotic disorders.