The role of blood platelets in the precipitation of soluble fibrin by endotoxin.

This study is intended to clarify whether or not platelets are essential to endotoxin-induced precipitation of soluble fibrin representing the second phase of microclot formation. Renal glomerular microclots could be observed in extremely thrombocytopenic rabbits to the same extent as in normal rabbits after the injection of endotoxin into animals with circulating soluble fibrin. Thrombocytopenia was induced by feeding rabbits busulphan, and soluble fibrin was produced by infusing ancrod. The experiments indicate that platelets are not essential to the endotoxin-induced precipitation of soluble fibrin.