Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital.
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Curr Opin Hematol. 2024 Jan 1;31(1):1-5. doi: 10.1097/MOH.0000000000000793. Epub 2023 Nov 1.
Single-cell RNA sequencing studies have revealed transcriptional heterogeneity within the megakaryocytic lineage and the identified unique subsets. In this review, we discuss the functional and phenotypic plasticity of these subpopulations as well as the impacts on health and disease.
Megakaryocytes (MKs) can be transcriptionally categorized into platelet generating, niche supporting, immune, and cycling cells, which are distinguished by their unique gene expression patterns and cellular markers. Additionally, a significant population of these cells has been established to reside in the nonhematopoietic tissues and they display enhanced immune-related characteristics. Combined with the location in which the megakaryocytes exist, these cells can play unique roles dictated by their current environment and biological needs, including responding to changes in pathogen exposure.
Advances in megakaryocyte research has elucidated the existence of multiple subpopulations of MKs that serve different functions. These subpopulations implicate a greater potential for MKs to be regulators of health and suggest new avenues for treatments and therapies in related diseases.
单细胞 RNA 测序研究揭示了巨核细胞谱系内的转录异质性和鉴定的独特亚群。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了这些亚群的功能和表型可塑性以及对健康和疾病的影响。
巨核细胞 (MKs) 可以根据其独特的基因表达模式和细胞标记物转录分类为血小板生成、龛支持、免疫和循环细胞。此外，已经确定了相当一部分这些细胞存在于非造血组织中，并且它们表现出增强的免疫相关特征。结合巨核细胞存在的位置，这些细胞可以根据其当前的环境和生物学需求发挥独特的作用，包括对病原体暴露变化的反应。
巨核细胞研究的进展阐明了 MKs 的多个亚群的存在，这些亚群具有不同的功能。这些亚群暗示了巨核细胞在调节健康方面具有更大的潜力，并为相关疾病的治疗和疗法提供了新的途径。
