Application of an anticoagulant to prevent clotting is a prerequisite for the retention of morphological integrity of platelets in blood samples. Among the anticoagulants used for the collection of blood from veterinary animals, are heparin, the oxalate salts (sodium and potassium) and di-sodium and tri-sodium citrates. In a study on the effects of anticoagulants on platelet morphology, it was noted that oxalates caused severe morphological distortion in platelets. It is hypothesized that the membranous extensions, pseudopodia and loops detected in the platelets in oxalated blood may have been triggered by the irreversible formation of calcium oxalate salts which in turn alter the intracellular electrolyte balance.
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