BBB seminar: Miriam H. Fukami
Studies on compartmentation in a special cell, the blood platelet
Hovedinnhold
Miriam H. Fukami
Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen
Cellular compartments have different functions and metabolism. The classical methods used to study compartmentation have been microscopy and subcellular fractionation, the combination of which has become ever more sophisticated over the years with advances in techniques of imaging, spectroscopy, molecular biology and immunology. In spite of great advances in these technologies, experimental approaches for the study of compartmentation remain difficult because metabolism is by definition dynamic and trafficking continuous in intact cells.
Some cells are more amenable than others for the study of different phenomena. The peculiarities of the blood platelet, the status of which as a true cell is somewhat disputed, will be discussed including some historical findings as well as more recent results on compartments.
Selected references:
The blood platelet release reaction, H. Holmsen, H. J. Day, H. Stormorken, Scand. J Haematol., suppl 8, 3-26, 1969.
Proton and 32P NMR studies of nucleotide storage in dense granules of pig platelets, K. Ugurbil, M.H. Fukami, H. Holmsen, Biochemistry, 23: 409-416, 416-428, 1984.
Biochemical properties of platelet microparticles formed during exocytosis resemble organelles more than plasma membrane, B. Olas, K. Lundell, H. Holmsen, M.H. Fukami, FEBS Letters, 525: 29-32, 2002.