Synthetic materials for platelet quality control.

At present, the quality control of platelet counting by semi-automated and automated methods does not meet ideal standards. Controls prepared from human or animal platelets have limited stability, and some synthetic platelet controls that are available do not have the size distribution of fresh platelets. The platelet control materials described here are wholly synthetic; however, their particle size distribution is like that of normal human platelets, and the dispersing medium has the viscosity and surface tension of plasma. Two types of products are described. The first type are dilutions of the synthetic platelets which are handled like 3000-fold dilutions of platelet-rich plasma and are intended for direct use on instruments like the Coulter ZBI. The two dilution levels gave counts of about 50,000 and 200,000/microL on the Coulter ZBI and were found to be stable for at least 30 days at - 20C, 4C, and 37C, and at least eight months at 25C. The second type of product is handled like whole blood and is intended for direct use on instruments like the Coulter Model S-Plus. This product gave counts of about 200,000/microL and was found to be stable for at least 120 days at - 20C, 4C, 25C, and 37C. Freezing at - 20C produced some aggregates that dispersed after thawing and standing for several days prior to testing.