Platelets: A possible glance into brain biological processes in schizophrenia

Table 4 Main methods used in psychiatry platelet research

Method	Brief description and representative references
MAO activity measuring	2-carbon14-tryptamine hydrochloride or carbon14-benzylamine as substrates[16,109]
Platelet 5-HT levels	High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorimetric or electrochemical detection[110]
Serotonin transporter binding sites	[3H] Imipramine binding assay[73]
Noradrenergic binding sites	Specific binding of 3H-clonidine and 3H-yohimbine to platelet membranes[111]
Prostaglandin E1 suppression of platelet aggregation response	Using PGE1 to suppress platelet aggregation in response to ADP[89]
Platelet Associated Antibodies 11	Enzyme linked immunoassay based on color development after reaction with anti-human immunoglobulin bound to horseradish peroxidase[112]
Platelet mitochondrial enzyme activity	Measuring different complexes of the respiratory system activity[100]

MAO: Monoamine oxidase; HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography; PGE1: Prostaglandin E1.