Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Platelets are the blood cells whose main function is to control blood loss after an injury. Platelets store many small molecules in tiny structures called granules. These molecules are released from platelet granules after injuries such as cuts. However, the signals that control granule release, or secretion, from platelets are not well understood at the molecular level. The primary focus of my studies is to identify how exactly these granules are secreted out of platelets. The structural framework of the cell, or cytoskeleton, is essential for maintaining cell shape and also likely controls granule secretion. To understand platelet secretion in greater detail, we studied mutant mice that lack certain proteins that control the cytoskeleton. We then compared platelets from the mutant mice to those from normal mice to gain a better understanding of the mechanism underlying platelet secretion and overall function. This should improve our ability to treat several diseases associated with abnormal platelet function including heart disease, stroke and arthritis.