THE CELLULAR AND HUMORAL EFFECTS OF MAGNE SIUM AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THROMBOCYTES, MEASURED BY THE RETRACTION OF THE BLOOD-CLOT

A new method using fresh whole blood allows to determine ATP productio n of thrombocytes by measurement of the retraction of the blood clot i n a thrombocyte suspension in physiological saline. By adding Ca++, K, Mg++ and PO4--- it is possible to measure the influence as well as t he interaction of these ions in physiological concentrations on thromb ocytes. In this work it has been shown that magnesium has a cellular a nd a humoral effect on the formation of ATP in thrombocytes. An increa se of the concentration of magnesium leads to potentiation of function al performance of thrombocytes. On the humoral side, magnesium reduces the formation of calcium phosphate molecules from potassium and phosp hate ions. With this system the influence of a bolus of magnesium, cal cium etc. on intact cells can be directly studied in vitro.