In vitro flow based systems to study platelet function and thrombus formation: Recommendations for standardization: Communication from the SSC on Biorheology of the ISTH

Experimental videomicroscopic in vitro assays of thrombus formation based on blood perfusion are instrumental in a wide range of basic studies in thrombosis, screening for hereditary or acquired plateletrelated pathologies, and assessing the effectiveness of novel anti-platelet therapies. Here, we discuss application of the broadly used “in vitro thrombosis model”: a frequently used assay to study the formation of 3D aggregates under flow, which involves perfusing anticoagulated whole blood over fibrillar collagen in a flow geometry of rectangular cross-section, such as glass microcapillaries or parallel-plate flow chambers. Major advantaged of this assay are simplicity and ability to reproduce the four main stages of platelet thrombus formation, i.e. platelet tethering, adhesion, activation and aggregation under a wide range of hemodynamic conditions. On the other hand, these devices represent, at best, simple reductive models of thrombosis. We also describe how blood flow assays can be used to study various aspects of platelet function on adhesive proteins and discuss the relevance of such flow models. Finally, we propose recommendations for standardization related to the use of this assay that cover collagen source, coating methods, micropatterning, sample composition, anticoagulation, choice of flow device, hemodynamic conditions, quantification challenges, variability, pre-analytical conditions and other issues.