Polyphosphoinositide synthesis and platelet shape change.

Polyphosphoinositides both integrate signaling pathways at the cytoplasmic surface of the plasma membrane and serve as the final messenger of signaling pathways. They have a well-defined role in the release of calcium through the degradative pathway. Recent work, however, has highlighted the role of the polyphosphoinositide synthetic pathways in activated cells. This review emphasizes the role of polyphosphoinositides in recruiting signaling proteins that have pleckstrin homology domains and in directly regulating actin assembly in the human blood platelet.