What is a platelet
A platelet is a cloud-shaped blood cell, neither related to the red blood cell line nor the white blood cell line. Platelets act in the clotting of blood in that they home to damaged areas of blood vessels, and aggregate there, meaning that they pile onto each other and bind, forming a small plug to seal the hole in the leaking blood vessel. Of course, large tears are too big for platelets to seal and there are other blood clotting mechanisms besides platelet aggregation but when it comes to small bleeds and normal blood vessel wear and tear, platelets are the star of the show. There is a saying that platelets are vascular integrity and vascular integrity is platelets. A small bleed unstaunched by a platelet aggregation quickly becomes a large bruise. Spontaneous bruising (in other words visible bruising from the normal wear and tear of ones body) is a sign of reduced platelet numbers or poor platelet function. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOE PLATELET We would like to present a more detailed
