Advancing Platelet Research Through Live-Cell Imaging: Challenges, Techniques, and Insights

Platelet cells are essential to maintain haemostasis and play a critical role in thrombosis. They swiftly respond to vascular injury by adhering to damaged vessel surfaces, activating signalling pathways, and aggregating with each other to control bleeding. This dynamic process of platelet activatio...

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Main Authors: Yuping Yolanda Tan, Jinghan Liu, Qian Peter Su
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/2/491
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author Yuping Yolanda Tan
Jinghan Liu
Qian Peter Su
author_facet Yuping Yolanda Tan
Jinghan Liu
Qian Peter Su
author_sort Yuping Yolanda Tan
collection DOAJ
description Platelet cells are essential to maintain haemostasis and play a critical role in thrombosis. They swiftly respond to vascular injury by adhering to damaged vessel surfaces, activating signalling pathways, and aggregating with each other to control bleeding. This dynamic process of platelet activation is intricately coordinated, spanning from membrane receptor maturation to intracellular interactions to whole-cell responses. Live-cell imaging has become an invaluable tool for dissecting these complexes. Despite its benefits, live imaging of platelets presents significant technical challenges. This review addresses these challenges, identifying key areas in need of further development and proposing possible solutions. We also focus on the dynamic processes of platelet adhesion, activation, and aggregation in haemostasis and thrombosis, applying imaging capacities from the microscale to the nanoscale. By exploring various live imaging techniques, we demonstrate how these approaches offer crucial insights into platelet biology and deepen our understanding of these three core events. In conclusion, this review provides an overview of the imaging methods currently available for studying platelet dynamics, guiding researchers in selecting suitable techniques for specific studies. By advancing our knowledge of platelet behaviour, these imaging methods contribute to research on haemostasis, thrombosis, and platelet-related diseases, ultimately aiming to improve clinical outcomes.
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spelling doaj-art-80eb5d6d23464a6da02a0e7a6c0ce42c2025-01-24T13:49:07ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-01-0125249110.3390/s25020491Advancing Platelet Research Through Live-Cell Imaging: Challenges, Techniques, and InsightsYuping Yolanda Tan0Jinghan Liu1Qian Peter Su2School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, AustraliaSchool of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, AustraliaSchool of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, AustraliaPlatelet cells are essential to maintain haemostasis and play a critical role in thrombosis. They swiftly respond to vascular injury by adhering to damaged vessel surfaces, activating signalling pathways, and aggregating with each other to control bleeding. This dynamic process of platelet activation is intricately coordinated, spanning from membrane receptor maturation to intracellular interactions to whole-cell responses. Live-cell imaging has become an invaluable tool for dissecting these complexes. Despite its benefits, live imaging of platelets presents significant technical challenges. This review addresses these challenges, identifying key areas in need of further development and proposing possible solutions. We also focus on the dynamic processes of platelet adhesion, activation, and aggregation in haemostasis and thrombosis, applying imaging capacities from the microscale to the nanoscale. By exploring various live imaging techniques, we demonstrate how these approaches offer crucial insights into platelet biology and deepen our understanding of these three core events. In conclusion, this review provides an overview of the imaging methods currently available for studying platelet dynamics, guiding researchers in selecting suitable techniques for specific studies. By advancing our knowledge of platelet behaviour, these imaging methods contribute to research on haemostasis, thrombosis, and platelet-related diseases, ultimately aiming to improve clinical outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/2/491plateletsplatelet adhesionplatelet activationplatelet aggregationplatelet diseaseslive-cell imaging
spellingShingle Yuping Yolanda Tan
Jinghan Liu
Qian Peter Su
Advancing Platelet Research Through Live-Cell Imaging: Challenges, Techniques, and Insights
Sensors
platelets
platelet adhesion
platelet activation
platelet aggregation
platelet diseases
live-cell imaging
title Advancing Platelet Research Through Live-Cell Imaging: Challenges, Techniques, and Insights
title_full Advancing Platelet Research Through Live-Cell Imaging: Challenges, Techniques, and Insights
title_fullStr Advancing Platelet Research Through Live-Cell Imaging: Challenges, Techniques, and Insights
title_full_unstemmed Advancing Platelet Research Through Live-Cell Imaging: Challenges, Techniques, and Insights
title_short Advancing Platelet Research Through Live-Cell Imaging: Challenges, Techniques, and Insights
title_sort advancing platelet research through live cell imaging challenges techniques and insights
topic platelets
platelet adhesion
platelet activation
platelet aggregation
platelet diseases
live-cell imaging
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/2/491
work_keys_str_mv AT yupingyolandatan advancingplateletresearchthroughlivecellimagingchallengestechniquesandinsights
AT jinghanliu advancingplateletresearchthroughlivecellimagingchallengestechniquesandinsights
AT qianpetersu advancingplateletresearchthroughlivecellimagingchallengestechniquesandinsights