Investigation of mechanotransduction mechanisms in platelets

血小板是一种非常重要的细胞，它通过粘在受伤的血管壁上形成血凝块来止血。过度凝血会导致致命的血管事件，如心脏病发作和中风。另一方面，凝血缺陷会导致危及生命的出血问题。血小板通过细胞表面受体和黏性物质（蛋白质）之间的相互作用粘附在血管壁损伤部位，当血管壁受损时，黏性物质（蛋白质）暴露在血流中。血小板的粘性是由这些血细胞中的许多蛋白质（或酶）控制的。这些蛋白将表面血小板受体的信息传递到细胞内部，从而控制血小板的行为。我们正在鉴定几种负责控制血小板黏性的蛋白酶。在本应用程序中提出的研究将更好地了解血小板粘性和凝块形成的复杂途径。所获得的知识可能最终有助于设计预防和或治疗心脏病发作和中风的特定药物。

Platelets are extremely important cells that stop bleeding by sticking to injured blood vessel walls, forming blood clots. Excessive clotting can lead to fatal vascular events such as heart attack and stroke. On the other hand, defects in blood clotting can result in life threatening bleeding problems. Platelets stick to sites of vessel wall injury through the interaction between cell surface receptors and sticky materials (proteins) that become exposed to the blood flow when the vessel wall is damaged. The stickiness of platelets is controlled by many proteins (and-or enzymes) inside these blood cells. These proteins transmit messages from platelet receptors on the surface into the cell interior, thereby controlling platelet behaviour. We are in the process of identifying several types of proteins-enzymes which are responsible for controlling platelet stickiness. The studies proposed in this application will provide better understanding of the complicated pathways regulating platelet stickiness and clot formation. The knowledge gained may utimately assist in the design of specific drugs for the prevention and-or treatment of heart attacks and strokes.