Real-Time Live Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy as a New Tool for Assessing Platelet Vitality.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Assessment of platelet vitality is important for patients presenting with inherited or acquired disorders of platelet function and for quality assessment of platelet concentrates. METHODS: Herein we combined live stains with intra-vital confocal fluorescence microscopy in order to obtain an imaging method that allows fast and accurate assessment of platelet vitality. Three fluorescent dyes, FITC-coupled wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester perchlorate (TMRM) and acetoxymethylester (Rhod-2), were used to assess platelet morphology, mitochondrial activity and intra-platelet calcium levels. Microscopy was performed with a microlens-enhanced Nipkow spinning disk-based system allowing live confocal imaging. RESULTS: Comparison of ten samples of donor platel

SUBMITTER: Hermann M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2980516 | biostudies-literature | 2010

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature