<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="static/style.xsl"?><OAI-PMH xmlns="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/ http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/OAI-PMH.xsd"><responseDate>2026-09-23T23:59:25Z</responseDate><request verb="GetRecord" identifier="oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/300724" metadataPrefix="uketd_dc">https://api.repository.cam.ac.uk/server/oai/request</request><GetRecord><record><header><identifier>oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/300724</identifier><datestamp>2021-04-21T20:33:01Z</datestamp><setSpec>com_1810_221813</setSpec><setSpec>com_1810_256062</setSpec><setSpec>col_1810_221814</setSpec></header><metadata><uketd_dc:uketddc xmlns:uketd_dc="http://naca.central.cranfield.ac.uk/ethos-oai/2.0/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" xmlns:uketdterms="http://naca.central.cranfield.ac.uk/ethos-oai/terms/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:doc="http://www.lyncode.com/xoai" xsi:schemaLocation="http://naca.central.cranfield.ac.uk/ethos-oai/2.0/ http://naca.central.cranfield.ac.uk/ethos-oai/2.0/uketd_dc.xsd">
   <dc:title>Mechanisms of microparticle release from human platelets</dc:title>
   <dc:identifier xsi:type="dcterms:DOI">10.17863/CAM.47798</dc:identifier>
   <dc:creator>Wei, Hao</dc:creator>
   <uketdterms:advisor>Harper, Matthew Thomas</uketdterms:advisor>
   <dcterms:abstract>Platelets release a variety of extracellular vesicles, including platelet-derived microparticles 
that expose phosphatidylserine on their surface. This thesis aims to resolve the mechanisms 
by which pro-thrombotic microparticles are released from platelets, which have not been 
well-characterised. Experimental methods used include flow cytometry, Western blotting, 
fluorescence-based microplate assays, confocal microscopy and electron microscopy. 
 
Intact cholesterol-rich lipid rafts were found to be required for the calpain-dependent 
release of microparticles from activated platelets. Microparticle release was prevented 
when cholesterol was depleted or sequestered from the platelet membrane. Membrane 
blebbing and scission in this process were independent of influx of hydrophilic ions or the 
endosomal sorting complex required for transport. 
 
It was found that microparticles were also released from platelets undergoing apoptosis, 
which would progress to secondary necrosis in vitro as they were not cleared. Microparticle 
release in apoptotic platelets was dependent on Ca2+ entry, intracellular Ca2+ mobilisation 
and caspase activity, but it was largely independent of calpain. During apoptosis, caspases 
downregulated microparticle release from platelets in response to pro-coagulant stimuli. 
This may limit the pro-thrombotic consequences by providing a period of reduced capacity 
for platelet activation.  
 
2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB), a non-specific modulator of ion channels, was found 
to inhibit microparticle release from both activated and apoptotic platelets. In activated 
platelets, the effect of 2-APB was not related to inhibition of plasma membrane ion channels 
or calpain activity. In apoptotic platelets, the effect of 2-APB might be associated with 
inhibition of Ca2+ entry, although the specific target remained unclear. Future studies in 
identifying the target of 2-APB might provide new insights into how microparticles are 
released from platelets. Moreover, 2-APB may provide a scaffold for developing a 
pharmacological inhibitor of microparticle release.</dcterms:abstract>
   <uketdterms:institution>University of Cambridge</uketdterms:institution>
   <dcterms:issued>2020-01-25</dcterms:issued>
   <dc:type>Thesis</dc:type>
   <uketdterms:qualificationlevel>Doctoral</uketdterms:qualificationlevel>
   <uketdterms:qualificationname>Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)</uketdterms:qualificationname>
   <dc:language>en</dc:language>
   <dcterms:isReferencedBy xsi:type="dcterms:URI">https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/300724</dcterms:isReferencedBy>
   <dc:identifier xsi:type="dcterms:URI">https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/c3ab5f26-409f-4e60-9efa-39cfaf2e06b9/download</dc:identifier>
   <uketdterms:checksum xsi:type="uketdterms:MD5">188ffb1cad3bfc70597600424e2080bb</uketdterms:checksum>
   <dcterms:license>https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/643a5c9b-8627-46e4-b2ce-a132363a41b5/download</dcterms:license>
   <uketdterms:checksum xsi:type="uketdterms:MD5">87eda9de84448d1f82354d60eee3eb5f</uketdterms:checksum>
   <dc:rights>https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/</dc:rights>
   <dc:subject>Platelets</dc:subject>
   <dc:subject>Platelet-derived microparticles</dc:subject>
   <dc:subject>Extracellular vesicles</dc:subject>
   <dc:subject>Pharmacology</dc:subject>
   <dc:subject>Blood</dc:subject>
   <dc:subject>Drug Effects</dc:subject>
   <dc:subject>Signal Transduction</dc:subject>
</uketd_dc:uketddc>
</metadata></record></GetRecord></OAI-PMH>