Megakaryocytopoiesis in different forms of thrombocytosis and thrombocytopenia: identification of megakaryocyte precursors by immunostaining of intracytoplasmic factor-VIII-related antigen.

Megakaryocytopoiesis was investigated with a polyclonal (26 cases) and a monoclonal (20 cases) antibody to factor-VIII-related antigen (factor VIII RAg) with the indirect peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method on air-dried bone marrow aspirates (BM). Numerous megakaryocyte precursors were identified in 5 patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and the 2 patients with acute myelogeneous leukaemia (AML) after recovery from therapeutic aplasia. Small megakaryocyte precursors were rare in controls (C), patients with reactive thrombocytosis (RT) and immune thrombocytopenia (IT). In 2 patients with severe alcoholism the number of mature megakaryocytes increased after 5 and 7 days of abstinence, respectively.