What do platelets look like

In severe cases, the patient might have to undergo a procedure called a platelet pheresis. This lowers the platelet count by removing the blood, separating out the platelets, and returning the red blood cells back to the body. With secondary thrombocytosis, the symptoms are usually related to the associated condition.

For example, if you have an infection or anemia, you treat those conditions and the platelet count comes down. Symptoms include easy bruising, and frequent bleeding from the gums, nose, or GI tract. Your platelet count drops when something is preventing your body from producing platelets. There are a wide range of causes, including:. The protoplatelets then break up into hundreds of platelets that circulate throughout the bloodstream, while the remaining nucleus of the ruptured megakaryocyte is consumed by macrophages.

Megakaryocyte and platelet production is regulated by thrombopoietin, a hormone produced by the liver and kidneys. Thrombopoietin stimulates differentiation of myeloid progenitor cells into megakaryocytes and causes the release of platelets. Thrombopoietin is regulated by a negative feedback mechanism based on platelet levels in the body so that high levels of platelets result in lower levels of thrombopoietin, while low levels of platelets result in higher levels of thrombopoietin.

Each megakaryocyte produces between 5, and 10, platelets before its cellular components are fully depleted. The average lifespan of a platelet is just 5 to 10 days. Old platelets are destroyed by macrophage phagocytosis in the spleen and by Kupffer cells in the liver. Hematopoiesis : Myeloid progenitor cells differentiate into promegakaryocytes, and megakaryocytes, which release platelets.

Balanced thrombopoiesis is important because it directly influences the amount of platelets in the body and their associated complications. If the number of platelets is too low, excessive bleeding can occur, even from minor or superficial injuries. If the number of platelets is too high, blood clots can form thrombosis and travel through the bloodstream, which may obstruct blood vessels and result in ischemic events. These include stroke, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, or infarction of other tissues.

An abnormality or disease of the platelets is called a thrombocytopathy, which could be either a low number of platelets thrombocytopenia , a decrease in function of platelets thrombasthenia , or an increase in the number of platelets thrombocytosis. In any case, issues with the number of circulating platelets is often due to issues in thrombopoietin feedback regulation, but may also be associated with genetic characteristics and certain medications and diseases.

For example, thrombocytopenia often occurs in leukemia patents. Cancerous myeloid cells crowd out healthy ones in the bone marrow, causing impaired thrombopoiesis. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. The platelets are separated from the other blood components, which are returned to you through your other arm.

This cycle repeats several times. Using this process, one donor can contribute what would normally be obtained from up to five whole blood donations — an amount that can help as many as three people. Learn more about donating platelets and how it is different from a whole blood donation. Since platelets must be used within 5 days of donation, platelet donors are constantly needed. Making a platelet-only donation means your generosity can help one, two, or even three patients!

What Are Platelets In Blood. These are health conditions linked to abnormal platelets or abnormal platelet counts:. In this condition, your bone marrow makes too few platelets. Or your platelets are destroyed. If your platelet count gets too low, bleeding can occur under the skin as a bruise. Or it can happen inside the body as internal bleeding.

Or it can happen outside the body through a cut that won't stop bleeding or from a nosebleed. Thrombocytopenia can be caused by many conditions.

These include several medicines, cancer, liver disease, pregnancy, infections, and an abnormal immune system. Essential thrombocythemia. In this condition, your bone marrow makes too many platelets.

People with this condition may have platelet counts of more than 1 million, which can lead to bleeding. Other symptoms can include blood clots that form and block blood supply to the brain or the heart. Doctors don't fully know what causes this type of thrombocythemia, but changes in bone marrow cells called mutations can lead to some cases.