Beta-thromboglobulin is a protein that is stored in alpha-granules of platelets and released in large amounts after platelet activation.

It is a type of Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 7

CXCL7

Chemokine ligand 7 is a human gene.The encoded protein, Chemokine ligand is a small cytokine belonging to the CXC chemokine family. It is an isoform of Beta-Thromboglobulin or Pro-Platelet basic protein ....

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It is a chemoattractant, strongly for fibroblasts and weakly for neutrophils. It is a stimulator of mitogenesis, extracellular matrix

Extracellular matrix

In biology, the extracellular matrix is the extracellular part of animal tissue that usually provides structural support to the animal cells in addition to performing various other important functions. The extracellular matrix is the defining feature of connective tissue in animals.Extracellular...

 synthesis, glucose metabolism, and plasminogen activator

Plasminogen activator

A plasminogen activator is a serine protease which converts plasminogen to plasmin, thus promoting fibrinolysis.Types include:* Tissue plasminogen activator* Urokinase...

 synthesis in human fibroblasts.

Beta-Thromboglobulin also affects megakaryocyte

Megakaryocyte

The megakaryocyte is a bone marrow cell responsible for the production of blood thrombocytes , which are necessary for normal blood clotting...

 maturation, and thus helps in regulating platelet

Platelet

Platelets, or thrombocytes , are small,irregularly shaped clear cell fragments , 2–3 µm in diameter, which are derived from fragmentation of precursor megakaryocytes.  The average lifespan of a platelet is normally just 5 to 9 days...

 production.

Clinical use

Levels of Beta-Thromboglobulin is used to index platelet activation. It is measured by ELISA

ELISA

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay , is a popular format of a "wet-lab" type analytic biochemistry assay that uses one sub-type of heterogeneous, solid-phase enzyme immunoassay to detect the presence of a substance in a liquid sample."Wet lab" analytic biochemistry assays involves detection of an...

 in blood plasma

Blood plasma

Blood plasma is the straw-colored liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid...

 or urine, and often in conjunction with Platelet factor 4)

It is elevated in diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...

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