[Megakaryocytes in human lungs in non-selected autopsy specimens-- topography of their occurrence and correlation with pulmonary thrombosis].

In a 100 lungs of patients died in hospital (61 males, 39 females including 4 children) consecutively studied at autopsies in 1986 topographic quantification of megakaryocytes (MK) was performed. Mean number of MK was 31 cells per 1 cm2 of the studied sections (the range from 0 to 336 MK/cm2). More numerous MKs were observed in the upper pulmonary lobes and fibrous foci. The greatest accumulation of MK was found in the patients died from various types of shock. In the lungs with a large number of MK we found enhanced microthrombosis of the pulmonary vessels.