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The significance of megakaryocyte size
RF Levine, KC Hazzard and JD Lamberg
Normal guinea pig and human megakaryocytes in suspension were measured with
an optical micrometer. The range of megakaryocyte diameters in both species
was from 10 to about 65 micrometer. Approximately 20%-25% of megakaryocytes
were smaLler than 20 micrometer in diameter and were mostly missed in past
studies. However, virtually the entire population of megakaryocytes was
larger than all but a very small percent of the other marrow cells. This
size range and the existence of a visual threshold size between the
megakaryocytes and nonmegakaryocytes were confirmed by flow cytometric
analysis of fresh unfixed cells. On human bone marrow smears there was some
flattening of all cell types, but the megakaryocytes were consistently at
least minimally greater in size than almost all the nonmegakaryocytes.
Normal marrow cells greater than 20 micrometer in diameter were always
megakaryocytes. Cells 14-20 micrometer were still noticeably larger than
the general marrow population; thus easily found, they could be examined
for specific morphological criteria. Size, therefore, is a useful first
criterion for the identification of megakaryocytes. The larger sizes of
megakaryocytes were related to their greater DNA content per cell
(polyploidy) compared to nonmegakaryocytes. The relationship between
megakaryocyte size, ploidy, and maturation was examined by the simultaneous
measurement for the first time of each of these parameters in the same
cell. Maturation was quantitated by the new scheme based on the progressive
changes in megakaryocytes nuclear configuration. Within each maturation
stage the mean cell volume of guinea pig megakaryocytes doubled with each
ploidy doubling. Within each ploidy group, the sizes of megakaryocytes
increased with maturation stage. However, maturation and polyploidization
appear to be linked; the data showed that 80% of the low ploidy (4N-8N)
megakaryocytes were immature and that 95% of the platelet-shedding
megakaryocytes were 16N-32N.
Volume 60,
Issue 5,
pp. 1122-1131,
11/01/1982
Copyright © 1982 by The American Society of Hematology
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