Megakaryoblast
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A megakaryoblast (mega- + karyo + -blast, "large-nucleus immature cell") is a precursor cell to a promegakaryocyte. During thrombopoiesis, the promegakaryocyte matures into the form of a megakaryocyte. From the megakaryocyte, platelets are formed.[1] The megakaryoblast is the beginning of the thrombocytic series or platelet forming series.
Megakaryoblast | |
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Identifiers | |
TH | H2.00.04.3.05002 |
FMA | 84235 |
Anatomical terms of microanatomy |
Megakaryoblasts typically have a large oval-shaped nucleus or a nucleus that is lobed with many nuclei.[2] The megakaryoblast resembles the myeloblast or lymphoblast morphologically, however the megakaryoblast varies in phenotype and the structure viewed with electron microscopy.[2][3]
Increased amounts of megakaryoblasts in the bone marrow may indicate a disease state.[4] An example of this is acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, which occurs when the level of megakaryoblasts in the bone marrow exceeds 20%.[5]