PUBLICATION

Selective labeling of zebrafish thrombocytes: quantitation of thrombocyte function and detection during development

Authors
Gregory, M. and Jagadeeswaran, P.
ID
ZDB-PUB-021016-6
Date
2002
Source
Blood cells, molecules & diseases   28(3): 418-427 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Gregory, Michael, Jagadeeswaran, Pudur
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Blood Platelets/drug effects
  • Blood Platelets/physiology*
  • Carbocyanines/administration & dosage
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/cytology
  • Embryonic Development*
  • Fluorescent Dyes/administration & dosage
  • Kinetics
  • Membrane Microdomains/drug effects
  • Platelet Activation*/drug effects
  • Platelet Aggregation/drug effects
  • Platelet Function Tests
  • Pseudopodia/drug effects
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2Y1
  • Zebrafish/blood*
  • Zebrafish/embryology
PubMed
12367586 Full text @ Blood Cells Mol. Dis.
Abstract
Zebrafish thrombocytes, the nucleated equivalents of mammalian platelets, have been characterized morphologically, but knowledge about their developmental synthesis and biochemistry is limited. Given the increasing use of zebrafish as a genetic model to study hemostasis, it is important to isolate and study the function of zebrafish thrombocytes Therefore, the objective of this study was to isolate thrombocytes, study their function in vitro, and identify the developmental stage at which they enter circulation. To achieve these goals, we developed a method for the selective labeling of thrombocytes and assayed these cells for activation by known mammalian platelet agonists. In both in vitro incubations of whole blood and blood labeled in vivo with the lipophilic dye DiI-C(18), we found labeling in only a single population of cells. These cells were identified as zebrafish thrombocytes by Wright-Giemsa staining. Using selective DiI-C(18) labeling, we showed the formation of thrombocyte aggregates, filopodia, and lipid rafts in response to platelet agonists. Additionally, we showed that aggregates are labeled by binding FITC-conjugated annexin V to exposed phosphatidylserine on the thrombocyte membrane. Using these fluorescent- labeling methods, we developed the first microquantitative assay for thrombocyte aggregation. With this assay, we provided evidence for the presence of an ADP receptor, P2Y(1), in the zebrafish thrombocytes. To study the developmental stage at which thrombocytes appear, we microinjected DiI-C(18) into the circulation of zebrafish embryos and identified the presence of DiI-C(18)-labeled thrombocytes at the 36 h postfertilization stage. These findings will prove helpful in dissecting the functions of thrombocytes in hemostasis and provide further insight into the role of platelets in thrombosis.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping