Platelet alterations in porcine stress syndrome.

Platelets in blood collected from pigs identified as normal (21) or stress susceptible (25) on the basis of their response to halothane challenge, were subjected to electron microscopic examination in order to test whether the ultrastructural features of stress susceptible pigs exhibit any deviation from those of normal. The most striking feature of the platelets from stress susceptible pigs was the extent of dilatation of the open canalicular system (OCS). The difference in platelet morphology between normal and stress susceptible pigs was consistent regardless of the anticoagulants used for blood collection indicating that the platelet alteration may be an inherent component of the porcine stress syndrome.