ATVB in Focus

Microparticles
Series Editors: Chantal M. Boulanger and Franoise Dignat-George

Articles in this series

Boulanger CM, Dignat-George F. Microparticles: an introduction. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011;31:23.
Tushuizen ME, Diamant M, Sturk A, Nieuwland R. Cell-derived microparticles in the pathogenesis of cardiovascu-
lar disease: friend or foe? Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011;31:4 9.
Shai E, Varon D. Development, Cell Differentiation, AngiogenesisMicroparticles and their roles in angiogenesis.
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011;31:10 14.
Morel O, Jesel L, Freyssinet J-M, Toti F. Cellular mechanisms underlying the formation of circulating micropar-
ticles. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011;31:1526.
Dignat-George F, Boulanger CM. The many faces of endothelial microparticles. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc
Biol. 2011;31:2733.

Microparticles: An Introduction
Chantal M. Boulanger, Francoise Dignat-George
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T he notion that cells shed small membrane vesicles

from their plasma membrane was reported some 40
years ago, and for many years this process was described
as the release of cell dust. However, the past decade has
seen an unprecedented interest in membrane vesicles in
many fields of biology, including vascular biology and
thrombosis. Consequently, the term cell dust has been
replaced by the term microparticles to describe submicron
membrane vesicles shed from activated or apoptotic cells.
Exciting findings have further demonstrated the unex-
pected biological impact of these microparticles on cellular
cross-talk and their contribution to inflammation, throm-
bosis, and angiogenesis. A thorough investigation of the
mechanisms governing their release and their interaction
with target cells is now required for a proper understanding
of their contribution to disease progression or repair
mechanisms.
The review series begins with an article by Morel et al
summarizing the state of the art on the mechanisms
governing the formation of circulating microparticles.
Platelet-derived microparticles represent one of the major
From INSERM, U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center,
Paris, France (C.B.); Universite Paris Descartes, UMR-S970, Paris,
France (C.B.); INSERM UMR-608, Pathophysiology of the Endothe-
lium, UFR de Pharmacie, Universite de la Mediterranee, Marseille,
France (F.D.-G.); Department of Hematology and Immunology,
Conception Hospital, Marseille, France (F.D.-G.).
Correspondence to Francoise Dignat-George, MD, PhD, INSERM
UMR-608, Pathophysiology of the Endothelium, UFR de Pharmacie,
27 bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France (e-mail
francoise.dignat-george@univmed.fr) or Chantal M. Boulanger, PhD,
INSERM UMR-970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, 56 rue
Leblanc, 75373 Paris Cedex 15, France. E-mail chantal.boulanger@
inserm.fr
2010 American Heart Association, Inc.
(Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011;31:2-3.)
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol is available at http://atvb.ahajournals.org
DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.110.220095
2
populations of circulating microparticles and studies on
their generation have greatly contributed to our knowledge
of the mechanisms involved in the loss of membrane
phospholipid asymmetry. Interestingly, Scotts syndrome
is a rare congenital bleeding disorder that presents as a
defect in platelet membrane remodeling. Morel et al also
draw our attention to the role of intracellular calcium
concentration in cytoskeleton reorganization during amin-
ophospholipid externalization. Whether or not these mech-
anisms regulating membrane and cytoskeleton remodeling
in platelets also hold true for microparticle formation in
other cell types remains to be established. The pathophys-
iological relevance of microparticle formation is high-
lighted in the review by Zwicker et al, that focuses on the
contribution of microparticles bearing tissue factor to
thrombus formation. The notion of a blood-borne tissue
factor conveyed by circulating microparticles represents
an alternative mechanism for activation of blood coagula-
tion. However, much debate still exists regarding the
presence of tissue factor activity on circulating micropar-
ticles, despite the general consensus that tissue factor
antigen is measurable in plasma. The third review article of
this series focuses on microparticles of endothelial origin.
Although they represent a minor population of the overall
pool of circulating microparticles, endothelial micropar-
ticles present a surrogate marker of activated/apoptotic
endothelial cells. Depending on the cause of endothelial
activation, they display specific phenotypes that could
contribute to their multifaceted effects on vascular
homeostasis.
The next set of reviews addresses and reviews the role of
microparticles in the development of cardiovascular dis-
eases and potential repair mechanisms. Tushuizen et al
discuss the potential deleterious or beneficial effects of
circulating microparticles on the vessel wall. They also
highlight the notion that plasma levels of specific su-
bpopulations of microparticles are valuable surrogate
 Boulanger and Dignat-George
markers of vascular health and that evidence suggests that
they have potential prognostic value in cardiovascular
diseases. Finally, Shai and Varon discuss the contribution
of microparticles to tissue repair and pathological angio-
genesis, such as cancer angiogenesis or diabetic retinopa-
thy. The mechanisms governing these microparticle effects
involve direct activation of signaling pathways, transfer of
growth factors or new transcripts, or pericellular proteo-
lytic activities mediated by serine proteases and
metalloproteases.
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Introduction to Review Series on Microparticles 3
This review series on microparticles will introduce Arte-
riosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology readers to the
field of shed-membrane vesicles and their wide spectrum of
actions in cardiovascular homeostasis. The ubiquitous forma-
tion of these vesicles certainly raises questions regarding their
unforeseen contribution to a large number of biological
responses. A better understanding of mechanisms governing
their generation and of their potential to reprogram remote
cells in pathological conditions represents a new dimension in
cellular communication.
 Microparticles: An Introduction
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Chantal M. Boulanger and Franoise Dignat-George

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011;31:2-3

doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.110.220095
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