Human platelet adhesion to subendothelium under controlled hemodynamic conditions: a methodological approach.

A rotating probe device was used to quantitate platelet adhesion to rat aorta subendothelial surface. Platelet adhesion increased in relation to the time of exposure to the subendothelial surface, the shear rate, the percentage of hematocrit and the number of platelets in the suspending media. Human umbilical arteries or collagen-coated glass can be used as adhesion surfaces with results similar to those obtained with rat aorta subendothelium. Platelet-rich plasma or washed platelets can be used in this system with comparable results. The test is sensitive to a series of antiaggregating agents and could be used in clinical studies of platelet adhesion defect.