“…Platelets are prone to activation, which induces an increase in their size, shape alterations and a decrease in their cellular density (36,37). Their activation level can be objectively measured with laser flow cytometry to determine their volume (mean platelet volume, MPV) and refractive index (mean platelet component, MPC) (24). Exogenous platelet activation techniques, such as addition of collagen, thrombin, calcium chloride or combinations thereof (25,37,41), show dose-dependent effects (18), but they might also induce undesirable inflammatory reactions (38).…”