Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Jan 3.
Published in final edited form as: Transfus Clin Biol. 2012 Jun 14;19(3):10.1016/j.tracli.2012.02.003. doi: 10.1016/j.tracli.2012.02.003

Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

CD40L signaling in the vasculature. Upon activation, platelets (represented by spiked cells) express CD40L (homo-trimeric protein represented by ovals) on their surface within seconds to minutes. Surface CD40L can be shed via plasma proteases and released in a soluble form (sCD40L). Also, during platelet activation, platelets release microparticles (represented by small round circles) that can carry surface CD40L, which is also categorized as sCD40L in most studies. sCD40L or platelet bound CD40L can bind to vascular and blood-borne cells that express CD40 and initiate signaling and cell activation.