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The regulation of megakaryocytopoiesis
M H Ellis1, H Avraham, J E Groopman
1Division of Hematology/Oncology, New England Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
The process of megakaryocytopoiesis begins with the commitment of a pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell to a differentiation pathway that culminates in the release of mature platelets into the circulation. A variety of megakaryocyte precursor cells have been identified after stem cell commitment has occurred and these may be recognized by their morphologic or immunophenotypic characteristics. Megakaryocytopoiesis is regulated by a number of cytokines with either stimulatory or inhibitory effects and by a variety of cell-cell interactions. Some factors potentiating platelet development promote the proliferation of megakaryocyte progenitor cells, while others result in their maturation. Thrombopoietin, a cytokine with specific megakaryocyte maturational activity recently has been identified as the c-Mpl ligand, and it will be evaluated as a therapeutic agent in the setting of thrombocytopenia due to impaired megakaryocytopoiesis.
The process of megakaryocytopoiesis begins with the commitment of a pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell to a differentiation pathway that culminates in the release of mature platelets into the circulation. A variety of megakaryocyte precursor cells have been identified after stem cell commitment has occurred and these may be recognized by their morphologic or immunophenotypic characteristics. Megakaryocytopoiesis is regulated by a number of cytokines with either stimulatory or inhibitory effects and by a variety of cell-cell interactions. Some factors potentiating platelet development promote the proliferation of megakaryocyte progenitor cells, while others result in their maturation. Thrombopoietin, a cytokine with specific megakaryocyte maturational activity recently has been identified as the c-Mpl ligand, and it will be evaluated as a therapeutic agent in the setting of thrombocytopenia due to impaired megakaryocytopoiesis.