Flow cytometric analysis of the megakaryocyte DNA distribution in whole and partially purified human and rabbit bone marrow.

Megakaryocytes are polyploid cells that constitute less than 0.1% of the nucleated cells in the bone marrow of most mammals including man. The DNA content of megakaryocytes has previously been measured by microdensitometry. Flow cytometry has also been used in the analysis of bone marrow megakaryocytes, but the general prerequisite for prior enrichment has made this technology less attractive. We describe here a modification to the mode of analysis of megakaryocyte DNA content that can be applied to whole, partially purified and elutriated human and rabbit bone marrow. The electronic masking of low-ploidy cells makes it possible to visualize the DNA content of minority, high-ploidy populations of megakaryocytes within a few minutes. In addition, this rapid technique can be combined with monoclonal antibody analysis of bone marrow cells to aid megakaryocyte identification.