The role of microparticles in inflammation and transfusion: a concise review

Abstract

Microparticles are small membrane-bound vesicles, found in body fluids including peripheral blood. Microparticles are an intrinsic part of blood labile products delivered to transfused patients and have active roles in inflammation. They are delimited by a lipid bilayer composed mainly of phospholipids, cholesterol, membrane-associated proteins, intracellular components such as metabolic enzymes, proteins-involved in signaling pathways, and nucleic acids (mRNA and miRNA).

This review explores their biogenesis, their role as biomarkers, and their contribution to the post-transfusion inflammatory response, highlighting the clinical implications for patient care in transfusion medicine.