Summary
Washed rabbit platelets resuspended in plasma anticoagulated with the disodium magnesium
salt of EDTA (magnesium EDTA) aggregate spontaneously. Analysis of this phenomenon
has demonstrated that this aggregation is caused by the slightly elevated concentrations
of magnesium present in plasmas anticoagulated with this agent. Addition of magnesium
ion in appropriate concentrations to platelet-rich-plasma anticoagulated with 0.38%
sodium citrate or 0.1% disodium dihydrogen EDTA (sodium EDTA) also produces gross
clot formation, an effect which does not occur when very slightly higher concentrations
of sodium EDTA are employed. The present studies distinguish between the effects of
calcium ion and magnesium ion in the production of both platelet aggregation and clot
formation in several commonly employed anticoagulant solutions. They demonstrate that
platelet aggregation is produced by magnesium ion alone, that this aggregation is
not associated with release of platelet serotonin, and that it is not caused by ADP.