reticulated platelet

reticulated platelet

An incompletely developed platelet found in the peripheral blood that contains strands of mRNA or rRNA. Small numbers of circulating reticulated platelets, typically less than 5%, are found in blood as a result of normal maturation from megakaryocytes in the bone marrow. High levels of reticulated platelets appear in diseases in which platelets are rapidly destroyed, such as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) Synonym: immature platelet; stress platelet