Female palade corpuscles

Ewald Weibel and George Palade

Weibel-Palade corpuscles are membrane-bound, longitudinally oval, highly complex organelles measuring about 0.1 x 3 µm, which occur in the cytoplasm of endothelial cells. They are distributed in the endothelium in different densities depending on the vessel region and are mainly found in the endothelium of large vessels. In case of inflammation the number of female-palatal corpuscles increases.

Female Palade Corpuscles play an important role in local blood clotting. They are packed with 6-20 tubules. This extraordinary tubular internal structure is the result of the special arrangement and packing of von Willebrand factor proteins.

In addition to the von Willebrand factor, Weibel-Palade corpuscles contain coagulation factor VIII complexed with this factor as well as the cytokines interleukin-8, P-selectin, angiopoietin-2 and the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA).

Probably, the reduced von Willebrand factor concentration in von Willebrand syndrome type I is due to mutations that affect the intracellular processing of von Willebrand factor, its storage in the Weibel palate corpuscles or its exocytosis.

1. Conte IL et al (2015) Is there more than one way to unpack a woman's palette body? Blood 126:2165-2167.
2. Lopes da Silva M et al (2016) Type II PI4-kinases control Weibel-Palade body biogenesis and von Willebrand factor structure in human endothelial cells. J Cell Sci 129:2096-2105.
3. Randi AM (2016) Endothelial dysfunction in von Willebrand disease: angiogenesis and angiodysplasia. Thromb Res 141 Suppl 2:55-58.
4. Turner NA et al (2015) Factor VIII Is Synthesized in Human Endothelial Cells, Packaged in Weibel-Palade Bodies and Secreted Bound to ULVWF Strings. PLoS One 10:e0140740.