title: Developmental change of megakaryocyte maturation and DNA ploidy in human fetus.
abstract: Megakaryocytes in fetal livers obtained from 30 water-balloon aborted normal fetuses of 3 to 6 months' gestation, in the bone marrow from the same 30 fetuses, and another 9 fetuses of 7 to 8 months' gestation and in the normal bone marrow of adults were analyzed by immunocytochemical staining for size and maturation stage distribution and by flow cytometry for ploidy distribution simultaneously. In human fetuses, megakaryocytes showed a shift during ontogenesis from smaller towards larger size and from less mature towards a more mature stage with advancement of gestation. This was accompanied by a significant progressive shift to higher ploidy. However, the proportions (78.64%) of hypoploidy (< or = 8N) megakaryocytes in bone marrow of 7-8 months' gestation fetuses was still much higher than that (33.32%) in human adults (p < 0.05), with the proportion of hyperploidy (> or = 16N) megakaryocytes lower than that (67.86%) in human adults. This result indicated that megakaryocyte polyploidization may be retarded or inhibited during development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, General Hospital of Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: K Z
authors.initials: KZ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zuo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D048429:Cell Size; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005865:Gestational Age; D006411:Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary; D006413:Hematopoietic System / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D011123:Polyploidy
chemical_list: D004247:DNA