The localization of factor V within normal human platelets and the demonstration of a platelet-factor V antigen in congenital factor V deficiency.

Separation of human platelets from plasma by a modified gel-filtration technique reveals very low levels of factor-V activity of the platelet suspension. Repeated freezing and thawing increases the factor-V activity in various factor-V assays. This activity neutralized the inactivating effect of a rabbit-antihuman factor V antibody to plasma factor V, while intact platelets had almost no such capacity. Washed and normal platelets and gel filtered platelets showed marked positive fluorescence after treatment with antifactor V serum and FITC labelled sheep antirabbit immunoglobulin. Fluorescence was inhibited by previous incubation of the antifactor V serum and platelet lysates. Platelets of a factor V deficient patient showed the same fluorescence pattern as normal platelets indicating that they contained a factor V antigen. These platelets showed after lysis no effect in various factor V assays. From these studies it is concluded that the localization of factor V is within the platelets.