Perfusion systems allowing the morphometric analysis of platelet interactions with vessel subendothelium under flow conditions have been applied to evaluate the quality and function of stored platelets. Studies performed in vitro indicate that despite the existence of storage lesions, platelets in concentrates stored for up to 5 days retain their ability to interact with the subendothelium. Perfusion studies ex vivo with nonanticoagulated blood from anemic-thrombocytopenic patients have shown the critical hemorrheological role of red blood cells facilitating platelet interactions with subendothelium. Similar studies performed on severely thrombocytopenic patients who received transfusions of platelets stored at 4 degrees C indicate that incompletely viable platelets can contribute to primary hemostasis through procoagulant mechanisms. The latter results suggest that storage lesions which contribute to impairment of platelet function may result in enhancement of platelet procoagulant activities. Perfusion techniques have contributed to the evaluation of the hemostatic effectiveness of platelet concentrates. These techniques will provide a useful model to test the impact of new storage technologies on platelet hemostatic function.