Three stages of differentiation in mouse megakaryocyte progenitor cells (CFU-Meg)

Mouse megakaryocyte colonies developed in a fibrin clot culture system were morphologically classified into three types: immature homogeneous (IH), heterogeneous (H), and mature homogeneous (MH) colonies. The colony size (number of megakaryocytes per colony), the ploidy distribution of megakaryocytes in colonies, and the ratios of their progenitors (megakaryocyte colony-forming units, CFU-Meg) in the S-phase of the cell cycle were compared among the three types. Also, morphological changes in colonies were examined in time sequence. The mode of the number of megakaryocytes per colony on day 6 of culture was greater than 64, between 17 and 32, and between 4 and 8, in IH, H, and MH colonies, respectively. The mean DNA content of megakaryocytes was 3.1N, 4.2N, and 7.2N on day 6 of incubation, in IH, H, and MH colonies, respectively, these values being significantly different from each other (p less than 0.001). The mean proportion of CFU-Meg synthesizing DNA was 21.9%, 26.0%, and 48.6% for CFU-Meg forming IH, H, and MH colonies, respectively (p less than 0.01; IH- versus MH-CFU-Meg and H- versus MH-CFU-Meg). Successive observation of the colony morphology from days 5 to 11 of culture suggested a transformation of the colony types from IH colony to MH colony through H colony. These observations indicate that the three types of megakaryocyte colonies classified on the basis of their morphological features reflect various stages of differentiation of mouse CFU-Meg.