Mariusz Ratajczak: Are We Inadvertently Destroying the True Regenerative Power of PRP by Discarding the Plasma?
Mariusz Ratajczak, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reviews and Reports of Springer Nature, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Are we inadvertently destroying the true regenerative power of PRP by discarding the plasma?
For decades, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy has been viewed through a strictly platelet-centric lens.
We obsess over platelet concentration and growth factor release while systematically treating plasma as a mere passive suspension medium.
In a paradigm-shifting Comment, Ju Tian, Biao Cheng, and their team fundamentally challenge this dogma.
They propose that plasma actively functions as a dynamic, liquid-phase Extracellular Matrix (ECM) that directly governs platelet behavior and therapeutic efficacy.
Rethinking the Mechanics of PRP:
The Liquid Scaffolding:
Plasma fulfills all core ECM functions, utilizing fibrinogen and fibronectin to provide a 3D structural backbone that anchors platelets and presents adhesion molecules.
Beyond Platelet Factors:
Plasma contains its own reservoir of critical non-platelet-derived mediators, such as IGF-1 and HGF, which act synergistically with platelet releasates to promote angiogenesis and matrix deposition.
Preparation Artifacts:
Conventional high-speed centrifugation and protocols that discard “platelet-poor” plasma often deplete or denature these essential ECM elements, rendering the final product biologically incomplete and compromising clinical consistency.
Bidirectional Crosstalk:
Platelets and plasma form a self-reinforcing circuit; activated platelets remodel the ECM, while the physical stiffness and biochemical cues of the plasma matrix modulate platelet activation via YAP/TAZ mechanotransduction and TGF-β signaling.
By reframing plasma as an active biological matrix rather than a simple carrier, we can optimize preparation protocols and transition PRP from an empirical therapy into precision regenerative medicine.
Is it time to completely overhaul our standardized commercial PRP isolation kits to preserve the plasma ECM?”
Stay updated with Hemostasis Today.
-
Sep 29, 2026, 16:01Stephen Cornelissen: How Joining the Stem Cell Registry Can Save Patients with Blood Cancers
-
Sep 29, 2026, 15:45Alan Nurden: Could Mast Cell aIIb Integrin Play a Key Role in Septic Thrombus Stability?
-
Sep 29, 2026, 15:43Priyadarshani Sharma: Advocacy and Patient Rights Transform Indian Haemoglobinopathies Care
-
Sep 29, 2026, 15:21Kanchan K Banerjee: Rusfertide Earns NCCN Category 1 Recommendation for Polycythemia Vera
-
Sep 29, 2026, 15:06Faizan Khan։ The Worldwide Burden of Venous Thromboembolism
-
Sep 29, 2026, 14:59Global Von Willebrand Disease Diversity Webinar Now Available on EHC YouTube – EHC
-
Sep 29, 2026, 14:43Mary Cushman: Apply to Shape Scientific Publishing as ISTH Associate Editor
-
Sep 29, 2026, 14:32Honoring Women Leaders Advancing Research, Care, and Innovation in Thrombosis and Hemostasis – Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis
-
Sep 29, 2026, 14:20Nathan Connell: Key Takeaways from the 8th Aland Island Meeting on von Willebrand Disease