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Assays of Megakaryocyte Development

Surface Antigen Expression, Ploidy, and Size

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Platelets and Megakaryocytes

Part of the book series: Methods In Molecular Biology™ ((MIMB,volume 272))

Abstract

Mature megakaryocytes (MKs) are large cells, having an approximate diameter in humans of 20–40 μm. They develop from CD34+ multipotent hematopoietic progenitors through a complex differentiation process driven primarily by the hormone thrombopoietin (TPO) (reviewed in refs. 1,2). The cellular hierarchy of the megakaryocytic lineage comprises three types of cells (3,4): MK progenitors, immature MKs or promegakaryoblasts, and mature MKs (Fig. 1). MK progenitors (HPP-CFU, BFU and CFU in Fig. 1; see caption for definitions) are a functionally heterogeneous group of cells, endowed with varying degrees of proliferative capacity, all of which express the surface antigen CD34. Promegakaryoblasts are transitional cells, intermediate between the proliferating progenitor cells and the mature, differentiated MKs (5). They are also a heterogeneous group of cells, which undergo polyploidization during development and increase their size and cytoplasmic complexity. Mature MKs are polyploid cells that no longer proliferate but have the unique ability to shed their cytoplasm (6), and as a result, produce in the order of 2000–3000 platelets/cell. In addition to TPO, other pleiotropic growth factors and cytokines (see Fig. 1) can act synergistically on hematopoietic progenitors to promote the growth and maturation of MK (7–9).

Overview of megakaryocyte development and expression of differentiation markers. Broken lines indicate low levels of antigen expression. Abbreviations: TPO, thrombopoietin; IL, interleukin; GM-CSF, granulocytemacrophage colony-stimulating factor; SCF, stem cell factor; EPO, erythropoietin; FL, flt ligand; LIF, leukemia inhibitory factor; Onc M, oncostatin M; SDF-1, stromal cell derived factor 1; HPP CFU, high-proliferative potential colony-forming unit; BFU, burst-forming unit; CFU, colony-forming unit; vWF, von Willebrand factor; PF4, platelet factor 4; TSP, thrombospondin; GP, glycoprotein.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London, UK

    Anthony Mathur

  2. The Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London, UK

    Ying Hong, Guosu Wang & Jorge D. Erusalimsky

Authors
  1. Anthony Mathur
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  2. Ying Hong
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  3. Guosu Wang
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  4. Jorge D. Erusalimsky
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading, UK

    Jonathan M. Gibbins

  2. Department of Physiology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    Martyn P. Mahaut-Smith

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© 2004 Humana Press Inc.

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Mathur, A., Hong, Y., Wang, G., Erusalimsky, J.D. (2004). Assays of Megakaryocyte Development. In: Gibbins, J.M., Mahaut-Smith, M.P. (eds) Platelets and Megakaryocytes. Methods In Molecular Biology™, vol 272. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-782-3:309

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-782-3:309

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-101-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-782-6

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