Thrombocyte and leukocyte antigens

Background: By analogy, existence of erythrocyte antigens, classified in certain blood group systems, presence of specific alloantigens on platelets and leukocytes has been confirmed. Platelet and leukocyte antigens have a complex clinical significance, especially in hematology and blood transfusion. Immune response occurring after allosensibilization with platelet and granulocyte antigens is involved in pathogenesis of several clinical syndromes including: neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, post-transfusion purpura, refractoriness to platelet transfusion, neonatal alloimmune neutropenia, transfusion related acute lung injury and chronic benign neutropenia in children. Application of various serological and molecular techniques enables phenotypization of platelet and granulocyte antigens and genomic analysis of DNA coding regions, providing determination of specific platelet and granulocyte alloantigen polymorphism. It confirms antigenic diversity of formed blood products.