Platelets are small pieces of cytoplasm released from the mature megakaryocytes of bone marrow.Although megakaryocytes are the least number of hematopoietic cells in bone marrow, accounting for only 0.05% of the total number of myeloid nucleated cells, the platelets produced by megakaryocytes are extremely important for the hemostatic function of the body.When blood loss is caused by vascular trauma, the functional activities of platelets in the process of physiological hemostasis can be roughly divided into two stages: The first stage is mainly after the occurrence of trauma, platelets quickly adhere to the wound, and gather into a group, forming a relatively soft hemostatic embolus;The second stage promotes blood clotting and forms solid hemostatic emboli.

Researchers at Monash University in Australia are developing a new drug that could help prevent heart attacks and strokes, and hope it could be used to treat a blood vessel blockage caused by a novel Coronavirus.

Researchers have found that an enzyme in platelets that causes them to clot faster before a heart attack or stroke.So they developed a drug that temporarily prevents platelets from clotting, preventing blood vessels from clogging up, and preventing heart attacks and strokes.

The researchers say the drug inhibits the clotting effect of platelets only when there are signs of a heart attack or stroke.Researchers hope the drug could be used in the future to treat patients with severe coVID-19, as studies have shown that similar blockages are one of the leading causes of death.

So far, the drug has worked well in animal models, and researchers are preparing for the next phase of human clinical trials.The research results have been published recently in the United States "Science·Translational Medicine" journal.