ADHESIVE PROTEINS IN PLATELET-ENDOTHELIAL INTERACTIONS

Adhesion molecules mediate the interaction between endothelium and pla telets as well as other blood cells and the endothelium. The structure and function of some of these molecules will be reviewed and discusse d. The expression of these molecules is largely affected by disease st ates such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiac failure. Determinatio n of adhesion molecules expressed on the surface of endothelial cells and platelets by cytoflowmetry enables a new approach to estimate the activity state of these cells and might be helpful to identify patient s with an increased thrombotic risk.