The smallest of the formed elements in blood, a disk-shaped, non-nucleated blood element with a fragile membrane, formed in the red bone marrow by fragmentation of megakaryocytes. Platelets tend to adhere to uneven or damaged surfaces, and there are an average of about 250,000 per mm3 of blood. The bone marrow produces from 30,000 to 50,000 platelets per mm3 of blood daily, which means that in any ten-day period all the platelets in the body are completely replaced.
Synonyms
Blood Platelets