Investigation of a novel role for Factor XIII in regulating the adhesive function of platelets

血小板是一种特殊的小血细胞，对血栓的正常形成和受损血管的修复极其重要。我们正在研究让血小板黏附在血管损伤部位和彼此之间形成稳定的血液凝块的过程。如果这一过程继续下去，有害的血液凝块可能会形成阻塞血管并导致心脏病发作和中风的血液凝块。有许多因素，包括血小板内部和外部，控制着血块的大小和增长速度，以及它是否变得足够有害，从而导致血管堵塞。其中一个因素是血小板的“粘性”或“反应性”水平。我们正在努力更好地了解血小板反应性是如何调节的。具体地说，我们相信我们已经确定了一种新的因素，它可以将血栓保持在对血管阻塞无害的大小。这些信息不仅将增加我们对健康和疾病中血液凝块形成的了解，还可能有助于开发预防心脏病发作和中风的新疗法。

Platelets are small specialised blood cells that are extremely important for the normal formation of blood clots and for the repair of injured blood vessels. We are studying the processes that allow platelets to stick to the site of vessel injury and to each other to form stable blood clots. If this process proceeds unchecked, harmful blood clots can form which block blood vessels and cause heart attacks and strokes. There are many factors, both inside and outside platelets, which control how big and how fast a blood clot grows and whether it becomes harmful enough to cause a blood vessel blockage. One of these factors is the level of platelet 'stickiness' or 'reactivity'. We are working towards a better understanding of how platelet reactivity is regulated. Specifically, we believe we have identified a new factor which keeps blood clots at a size that is not harmful to cause blood vessel blockade. This information will not only increase our knowledge of blood clot formation in health and disease but also may help in the development of new therapies for the prevention of heart attack and stroke.