Cell Membrane Microparticles in Blood and Blood Products
Program Code: 5108-S CT
Sunday, October 22, 2006
8:30 AM to 10:00 AM (ET)

MODERATOR
Jan Simak, PhD, Food & Drug Administration

SPEAKERS
Jan Simak, PhD, Food & Drug Administration
Nigel Key, MD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Wenche Jy, PhD, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

DESCRIPTION
Cell membrane microparticles (MPs) circulate in the blood of healthy donors, and their elevated counts have been documented in various pathologies. MPs in blood possess a broad spectrum of biological activities. The physiological roles of MPs in various tissue defense processes have been suggested and the pathophysiological implications of MPs in thrombosis, inflammation, cancer metastasis, or response to pathogens, have been proposed. This is important for transfusion medicine since MPs are present in both plasma and cellular blood products. This session will begin with a definition of MPs in blood, an overview of methods of MP analysis, and a summary of available data on MP analysis in blood products. The focus will then turn to circulating MPs as diagnostic markers of vascular injury and blood cell/platelet activation. Finally, possible physiological and pathophysiological functions of circulating MPs will be reviewed with emphasis on MP-associated tissue factor, procoagulant, and proinflammatory activities.