Megakaryocyte

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Megakaryocyte

Megakaryocyte (pronounced: meh-guh-KAR-ee-oh-site) is a large bone marrow cell with a lobulated nucleus responsible for the production of blood thrombocytes (platelets), which are necessary for normal blood clotting.

Etymology

The term "Megakaryocyte" is derived from the Greek words "megas" meaning "large", "karyon" meaning "nucleus", and "kytos" meaning "cell".

Function

Megakaryocytes are essential for the production of platelets. They undergo a process called thrombopoiesis to produce platelets. This process involves the fragmentation of the cytoplasm of the megakaryocyte into small, platelet-sized pieces which are then released into the bloodstream.

Related Terms

  • Thrombopoiesis: The process of platelet production from megakaryocytes.
  • Platelets: Small, colorless cell fragments in our blood that form clots and stop or prevent bleeding.
  • Bone marrow: The spongy tissue inside some of your bones, such as your hip and thigh bones. It contains immature cells, called stem cells.
  • Hematopoiesis: The formation of blood cellular components.

See Also

  • Hematology: The branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood.
  • Cell biology: The study of cell structure and function, and it revolves around the concept that the cell is the fundamental unit of life.

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski