Division of Hematology/Oncology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Expert Rev Mol Med. 2011 Oct 21;13:e32. doi: 10.1017/S1462399411002043.
Megakaryopoiesis is the process by which bone marrow progenitor cells develop into mature megakaryocytes (MKs), which in turn produce platelets required for normal haemostasis. Over the past decade, molecular mechanisms that contribute to MK development and differentiation have begun to be elucidated. In this review, we provide an overview of megakaryopoiesis and summarise the latest developments in this field. Specially, we focus on polyploidisation, a unique form of the cell cycle that allows MKs to increase their DNA content, and the genes that regulate this process. In addition, because MKs have an important role in the pathogenesis of acute megakaryocytic leukaemia and a subset of myeloproliferative neoplasms, including essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis, we discuss the biology and genetics of these disorders. We anticipate that an increased understanding of normal MK differentiation will provide new insights into novel therapeutic approaches that will directly benefit patients.
巨核细胞生成是骨髓祖细胞发育为成熟巨核细胞（MKs）的过程，而 MKs 又会产生正常止血所需的血小板。在过去的十年中，有助于 MK 发育和分化的分子机制已开始被阐明。在这篇综述中，我们概述了巨核细胞生成，并总结了该领域的最新进展。特别是，我们专注于多倍化，这是一种独特的细胞周期形式，允许 MK 增加其 DNA 含量，以及调节该过程的基因。此外，由于 MK 在急性巨核细胞白血病和包括原发性血小板增多症和原发性骨髓纤维化在内的一些骨髓增殖性肿瘤的发病机制中具有重要作用，我们讨论了这些疾病的生物学和遗传学。我们预计，对正常 MK 分化的深入了解将为新的治疗方法提供新的见解，这些方法将直接使患者受益。
