OBJECTIVE: To study the expression patterns of 6 kinds of platelet membrane glycoprotein(GP) in resting and activated platelets of healthy adults. METHODS: The molecule numbers of platelet GPIIIa, IIb/IIIa, Ib, IX, V and P-selectin on resting platelets or platelets activated by thrombin receptor activating peptide (TRAP) in 60 healthy adults (male/female = 1/1) were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The expression of GPIIb/IIIa and GPIIIa seemed to decrease with the increase of age in the resting and activated platelets of males. The coefficients of correlation(r) in resting platelets were -0.409 and -0.534 (P < 0.05), respectively; whereas this phenomenon were not found in females. The expression of GPIb was reduced while the expressions of GPIIb/IIIa, IIIa, P-selectin increased after the platelets were activated by TRAP. There was a negative relationship between resting and activated platelets in the expression of P-selectin. The molecule number of GPIb on the surface of resting platelet was about 30,000, the ratio of GPIb to GPV was 3:1. CONCLUSION: It seems that there exists some difference with age and sex in the expression of platelet membrane glycoproteins in healthy persons.