In a highly interesting, intricate, and novel paper in this issue of Blood, Fung and colleagues have extended their previous pioneering studies and now reveal that molecules such as ATP can promote platelet activation through the P2X1 receptor.

INTRODUCTION Neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) is an acute and serious complication after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) with high mortality. The present study aimed to test the therapeutic potential of brilliant blue G (BBG), a selective P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2X7R) antagonist, on NPE in a rat SAH model. METHODS SAH was induced by endovascular perforation. 86 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly di...

OBJECTIVES Varicose veins are dilated tortuous veins of varying tone. Purinergic signalling is important in the control of tone and in mediating trophic changes in blood vessels. The expression of P2 receptors in control and varicose veins will be examined. METHODS Purinergic signalling in circular and longitudinal smooth muscle of the human long saphenous vein was studied in control and vari...

BACKGROUND Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common inherited muscle disease, leading to severe disability and death in young men. Death is caused by the progressive degeneration of striated muscles aggravated by sterile inflammation. The pleiotropic effects of the mutant gene also include cognitive and behavioral impairments and low bone density. Current interventions in DMD are pa...