Recent trends in platelet antigen/antibody detection

The detection of platelet antigens and platelet antibodies has always been difficult. Recent technical achievements are due to the availability of more specific and sensitive reagents (i.e. F(ab)2 fragments; higher specific activity of labels; monoclonal antibodies directed against platelet membrane constituents etc.) and the application of advanced immunological assays to platelet immunology (i.e. blotting assays, "capture"-ELISA's and radioimmunoprecipitation in conjunction with SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). These techniques have permitted the definition and immuno-chemical characterization of new platelet allo- and autoantigens, have assisted in clinical diagnosis and promoted our understanding of pathogenic mechanisms. Illustrative examples are presented and discussed.