Definition

Noun: * A very small, irregularly shaped cell fragment found in the blood of mammals. Platelets are crucial for hemostasis, the process that stops bleeding by forming clots at the site of blood vessel injury.

Usage

• Platelets are produced in the bone marrow.
• A low platelet count can lead to excessive bleeding.
• Doctors transfuse platelets to patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Examples

• Noun:
  • When you get a cut, platelets rush to the site and stick together to form a plug.
  • The laboratory test measures the number of platelets per microliter of blood.
  • A disorder affecting platelet function can impair the body's ability to clot blood.

Advanced Usage

• "Platelet aggregation": The process by which platelets clump together, which is a key step in clot formation.
  • Certain medications are designed to inhibit platelet aggregation to prevent heart attacks.
• "Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)": A concentration of platelets derived from a patient's own blood, sometimes used in therapeutic injections to promote healing.
  • The athlete received a platelet-rich plasma injection to treat his tendon injury.

Variants and Related Words

• Thrombocyte (noun): A technical synonym for platelet.
  • Thrombocyte is the term more commonly used in hematology.
• Thrombocytopenia (noun): A medical condition characterized by an abnormally low number of platelets in the blood.
  • The patient was diagnosed with thrombocytopenia.

Synonyms

• Thrombocyte: The scientific term for a platelet.

Notes on Meaning

The provided reference definition uses the term "bits of protoplasm." In modern biological and medical contexts, platelets are more precisely described as cell fragments derived from larger cells called megakaryocytes. They are not complete cells, as they lack a nucleus. Their primary and essential function is in blood clotting (coagulation).

Noun

1. tiny bits of protoplasm found in vertebrate blood; essential for blood clotting