What are Platelets?

A blood platelet, or PLT for short, is a cell in our blood. It is called a "platelet" because it has a concave, oval or disc shape on both sides. Platelets are the smallest of blood cells, much smaller than red blood cells and white blood cells, with an average diameter of only 2 to 4 microns. It is formed from cytoplasmic detached fragments of bone marrow megakaryocytes. When we are injured or other reasons cause blood vessel damage, a large number of platelets will immediately gather at the blood vessel damage, aggregate into clumps, form blood clots, and block the place of blood vessel cracks. In addition, platelets will be released to promote blood vessel contraction and blood clotting Substance to prevent blood from flowing out of the damaged area. A platelet count is the number of platelets contained in a unit volume of blood. The number of platelets in normal human blood will be maintained at a certain level. Certain disease causes can lead to a decrease or increase in the number of platelets. Platelet count is helpful in the clinical diagnosis and differential diagnosis of hemostatic and thrombotic diseases.

Basic Information

Chinese name: Platelet count
Overview: Whether there is bleeding tendency and hemostatic ability
normal range: (100 300) × 10 ^ 9 / L

Inspection method introduction: Direct counting with ordinary light microscope
Clinical significance: Physiological pathology
References: Platelet count

Clinical significance of platelet count

Physiological

Normal people's platelet counts can vary from 6% to 10% within a day, showing lower mornings and higher afternoons; lower springs and higher winters; lower plateau residents and higher plateaus; venous blood is 10 times higher than capillary blood %; Women decrease before menstruation and increase after menstruation; increase during mid-late pregnancy and decrease after delivery; increase after exercise and recover at rest.

2. pathological

(1) Reduce aplastic anemia, acute leukemia, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, thrombocytopenic purpura, hypersplenism, etc.

(2) Increase myelodysplastic syndrome, chronic myelogenous leukemia, acute infection, acute blood loss, acute hemolysis, and splenectomy.