Metastasis is the primary cause of death in human breast cancer. Metastasis to bone, lungs, liver, and brain involves dissemination of breast cancer cells via the bloodstream and requires adhesion within the vasculature.
We describe here the mechanism of platelet adhesion to immobilized von Willebrand factor (VWF) and subsequent formation of platelet-derived microparticles mediated by glycoprotein Ibα (GPIbα) under high shear stress.