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The ductus arteriosus (DA; the shunt between the pulmonary artery and aorta) normally remains open for 24 to 48 hours after birth in full-term newborns. Closure of the DA is thought to involve two major steps: initial constriction caused by smooth muscle contraction, followed by cell proliferation in the DA lumen to achieve permanent closure. The mechanisms that trigger this second step are not fully understood but include ischemic injury that results in sloughing of endothelial cells and an inflammatory response. Findings from a recent report suggest that platelet adhesion and aggregation are vital to the eventual obliteration of the DA lumen.
In DA specimens from newborn mice, investigators found abundant expression of platelet-specific gl…