Megakaryocyte in Bone Marrow

    • The large cell illustrated in this photograph of a Wright/Giemsa-stained bone marrow smear is a megakaryocyte.
    • This megakaryocyte appears mature. The nucleus has at least 8 lobes and the nuclear chromatin is coarse and distinct.
    • Clusters of young platelets are being released from distinct platelet territories at the periphery of the cytoplasm (blue arrows).
    • When mature, each megakaryocyte produces approximately 4000 platelets/day.
    • Production can expand by 8-fold during times of increased demand and under the stimulus of thrombopoietin.

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