Abstract

 Background and Objectives

 The study of different antigens on platelets which can produce antibodies, reactions between these antigens and antibodies which are able to induce different situations and diseases, and different tests to diagnose and manage such situations and diseases are important topics of platelet immunology. Knowledge about platelet antigens and antibodies that helps their roles in different diseases to be realised and further information about different tests for such disorders to be diagnosed and traced are useful.

 The present article introduces different topics about platelet immunology using 74 references. Platelet alloantigens included alloantigens shared with other cells (e.g: human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system and ABH system), and alloantigens that are assumed to be specific for platelets (e.g: human platelet antigen (HPA) system). Alloantibodies developed against any of these antigens through exposure by pregnancy, transfusion, or rarely transplantation are responsible for different diseases and transfusion reactions like alloimmune thrombocytopenic syndromes, neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT), post transfusion purpura (PTP), platelet transfusion refractoriness (PTR), passive alloimmune thrombocytopenia, and transplant-associated thrombocytopenia.

 To know how to detect these factors and interpret the results helps in using the right test to the right patient in right time to make a better diagnosis and treatment.