Thrombosis remains a global health concern, necessitating research into its underlying mechanisms. Utilizing a high-speed bright-field microscope based on optical frequency-division multiplexing and microfluidics, we performed image-based single-cell profiling and temporal monitoring of circulating platelet aggregates that are the precursors to thrombosis. Our analysis encompassed 41 thrombosis patients, 110 COVID-19 patients, and 11 healthy individuals. By investigating the morphological changes of platelet aggregates under the influence of thrombosis, COVID-19, and COVID-19 vaccination, we observed distinct morphological alterations in platelet aggregates across different conditions, which shed light on the interplay between platelet aggregation and thrombotic events.
Vascular stenosis caused by atherosclerosis can lead to platelet activation and aggregation in thrombosis. However, the efficacy of antiplatelet drugs under stenosis is not well understood due to the lack of analytical tools. Here we demonstrate a new method combining optofluidic time-stretch quantitative phase microscopy and a 3D stenosis chip to enable highspeed, high-resolution, label-free imaging of circulating platelet aggregates under atherogenic flow conditions. Interestingly, our findings indicate that the proposed high-speed on-chip optofluidic imaging is a powerful tool for studying platelet biology, antiplatelet drug screening, and developing therapeutic strategies for patients with atherosclerotic diseases.
There is widespread concern about the safety of COVID-19 vaccinations related to platelet hyperactivity. However, their long-term influence on platelet activity remains unknown. We address this issue by applying a high-speed bright-field microscope based on optical frequency-division multiplexing and microfluidics for massive image-based analysis. We performed image-based single-cell profiling and temporal monitoring of circulating platelet aggregates in the blood samples of healthy human participants before and after they received three vaccination doses over a nearly one-year period. The results demonstrate no significant or persistent change in platelet activity after vaccine doses.
Vascular stenosis is a pathological hallmark of atherosclerosis, but its transient process is not well understood due to the lack of analytical tools to study it. Here we report spatiotemporally resolved observation of shear-induced platelet aggregation by combining a microfluidic on-chip stenosis model and optofluidic time-stretch microscopy. Our results indicate a synergistic effect of stenosis and agonists on platelet activation and aggregation. Particularly, an agonist, thrombin receptor activator peptide 6, causes preferential enhancement of platelet aggregation. Our findings are expected to deepen our understanding of stenosis-induced platelet aggregation and pave ways for developing effective antithrombotic therapeutics.
In COVID-19 therapy with artificial lungs such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machines, platelets in the extracorporeal circulation are often activated by their contact with the artificial materials, leading to the formation of blood clots followed by serious complications such as stroke and heart attack. However, anticoagulation and antithrombotic management is challenging due to the lack of testing tools to evaluate the circulation. Here we demonstrate real-time monitoring of thrombogenesis in the circulation of an ECMO-equipped goat with an intelligent platelet aggregate characterizer (iPAC), which is based on imaging flow cytometry and deep-learning-based analysis of numerous platelet aggregates in blood.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.