Internalization of bound fibrinogen modulates platelet aggregation

TL;DRAbstract

In agonist-stimulated platelets, the integrin alpha IIb beta 3 (glycoprotein IIb-IIIa) is converted from an inactive to an active fibrinogen receptor, thereby mediating platelet aggregation. With time after agonist addition, at least two events occur: fibrinogen becomes irreversibly bound to the platelet and, when stirring is delayed, platelets lose the ability to aggregate despite the presence of maximally bound fibrinogen. Because we previously identified an actively internalized pool of alpha IIb, beta 3 in platelets, we explored the possibility that both of these events might result from the internalization of fibrinogen bound to active alpha IIb beta 3. Under conditions of irreversible fibrinogen binding, fluorescence microscopy showed that biotinylated fibrinogen is rapidly internalized by activated platelets to a surface-inaccessible, intracellular pool. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the observed loss in accessibility to extracellular probes immediately precedes a loss in

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