On the significance of the influx of calcium ions into stimulated human blood platelets

Abstract

Blood platelets, upon stimulation with various substances, take up calcium ions from the suspending medium. This influx occurs simultaneously with the release reaction, i.e. the specific secretion of a variety of substances from storage organelles and the second wave of aggregation. Various inhibitors of the release reaction inhibit this Ca2+ influx. Platelets previously loaded with 45Ca show an increased efflux of the cation upon stimulation by thrombin. These results suggest that the plasma membrane acquires an increased permeability to Ca2+ only in a later phase of platelet activation, in most cases after the earlier release of Ca2+ into the cytoplasm from Castoring organelles. Rapid shape change and release proceed independently of external calcium, whereas clot retraction depends upon a prolonged increased permeability of the plasma membrane to this cation.