Dictionary > Megakaryocyte

Megakaryocyte

Definition
noun, plural: megakaryocytes
A large cell in the bone marrow with characteristic lobulate nucleus and is primarily involved in the production of blood thrombocytes or platelets
Supplement
Hematopoiesis is the process of forming new blood cellular elements in vertebrates. In this regard, thrombopoiesis is a hematopoiesis leading to the formation of thrombocytes. It begins with a multipotent stem cell, a hemocytoblast, which gives rise to a common myeloid progenitor cell. The progenitor cell, in turn gives rise to colony forming unit (particularly, CFU-Me, which is also referred to as CFU-Meg or CFU-Mega) fated to become megakaryocytes. The CFU-Me gives rise to megakaryoblasts. A megakaryoblast is the precursor for a promegakaryocyte. The promegakaryocyte, in turn, is the precursor cell for a megakaryocyte. The process in which the promegakaryocyte differentiates into a mature megakaryocyte is called megakaryopoiesis. Thrombopoietin is the hormone that stimulates megakaryopoiesis. The hormone is produced by the liver and the kidney, and encoded by the THPO gene.
Megakaryocytes are the mature form of promegakaryocytes. These cells owe their name from their large cell size that is 10 times larger than a typical erythrocyte. It is large because within the cell the DNA replicates but does not involve cytokinesis, a process referred to as endoreduplication. Thus, the cell appears to contain many nuclei but it only has a single nucleus that became large and lobulated. The demarcation membrane system forms to demarcate platelets, which soon break off from the megakaryocyte and move to the peripheral blood.
A metamegakaryocyte is a form of megakaryocyte with aggregated granules in the cytoplasm. Granular platelets begin to form at the periphery of the cytoplasm of a metamegakaryocyte.
Word origin: Greek mégas (“large”) + Greek karuo– (“nut”) + –cyte (cell)
Variant(s):

  • megacaryocyte

Synonym(s):

  • megalokaryocyte
  • See also:

    Related form(s):

  • megakaryocytic (adjective, of, relating to, or pertaining to a megakaryocyte)


  • You will also like...

    green plant cells
    Plant Cells vs. Animal Cells

    Plant cells have plastids essential in photosynthesis. They also have an additional layer called cell wall on their cell..

    Balanced Diet
    A Balanced Diet – Minerals and Proteins

    Proteins and minerals can be derived from various dietary sources. They are essential for the proper growth and developm..

    Freshwater aquatic plankton
    Freshwater Communities & Plankton

    Planktons are microscopic organisms that live suspended in aquatic habitats. There are two groups: the phytoplanktons an..

    Still Water Community Plants
    Still Water Community Plants

    This tutorial looks at the adaptations of freshwater plants for them to thrive in still water habitats. Familiarize your..

    Still Water Animals
    Still Water Animals

    Animals living in aquatic habitats have diversified and evolved through time. They eventually occupy ecological niches a..

    IQ, Creativity and Learning
    IQ, Creativity and Learning

    Human intelligence provided the means to utilize abstract ideas and implement reasoning. This tutorial takes a further l..

    Related Articles...

    No related articles found

    See all Related Topics