"Autologous Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or platelet gel is emerging as a biological tool to reduce cardiovascular
reperfusion injury in animal experiments. PRP is made from an animal’s own whole blood (autologous). The platelets are concentrated and the release of growth factors from the platelets is induced, typically by combining the platelet concentrate with bovine thrombin and calcium. The resulting activated PRP contains a super-physiological concentration of growth factors, cytokines, and other proteins. Injecting it into the myocardium after infarction and prior to
reperfusion significantly improves left ventricular mechanical function during
reperfusion in vivo in rabbit hearts and promotes
angiogenesis and mitogenesis in the sheep heart when injected 3 weeks after coronary ligation and evaluated 9 weeks later. In addition to the growth and healing promoting proteins, PRP provides a scaffold that traps
cells such as
stem cells in the region of injury giving the proteins time to help the
cells differentiate into cardiac myocytes.
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