Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa

Once platelets are activated, granules secrete clotting mediators, including both ADP and TXA2. These then bind their respective receptors on platelet surfaces, in both an autocrine and paracrine fashion (binds both itself and other platelets). The binding of these receptors result in a cascade of events resulting in an increase in intracellular calcium (e.g. via Gq receptor activation leading to Ca2+ release from platelet endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores, which may activate Protein Kinase C). Hence, this calcium increase triggers the calcium-dependent association of gpIIb and gpIIIa to form the activated membrane receptor complex gpIIb/IIIa, which is capable of binding fibrinogen (factor I), resulting in many platelets "sticking together" as they may connect to the same strands of fibrinogen, resulting in a clot. The coagulation cascade then follows to stabilize the clot, as thrombin (factor IIa) converts the soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin strands. These strands are then cross-linked by factor XIII to form a stabilized blood clot. ==Pathology==