Measurement of ploidy distribution in megakaryocyte colonies obtained from culture: with studies of the effects of thrombocytopenia

Microdensitometric measurement of the DNA content of individual megakaryocytes was performed using megakaryocyte colonies obtained following culture, in soft agar, of hematopoietic cells from C57BL/6J mice. Two types of colonies were detected. After 7 days of culture, the big cell type contained 16 /+- 2.3 acetylcholinesterase (AChE) positive cells/colony, with a mean ploidy level of 16.8 /+- 0.8/cell and the ploidy distribution characteristic of recognizable megakaryocytes in bone marrow. The heterogeneous type contained 44 /+- 9.6 cells/colony (some of which were AChE negative), with a mean ploidy level of 6.8 /+- 0.7/cell. The ploidy distribution of heterogeneous colonies differed markedly from big cell colonies, with preponderance of 2N and 4N cells. Colony-forming cells, obtained 4-5 days after induction of acute thrombocytopenia, gave big cell colonies with a marked increase in DNA content. Mean ploidy level increased to 21.5 /%- 1.8/cell; the frequency of 32N cells increased from 17% to 30% and 64N cells from 0% to 6%. This is the pattern of change observed in bone marrow, in vivo, 24 to 48 hr after induction of acute thrombocytopenia. The number of cells/colony did not increase. In contrast, acute thrombocytopenia did not alter the ploidy of heterogeneous colonies. The different responses to the stimulus of acute thrombocytopenia suggest that there are at least two types of Meg-CFC. The delayed appearance of altered Meg-CFC that produced big cell colonies indicates that the pool of stem cells, from which committed megakaryocyte precursors are derived, may respond indirectly to the stimulus of platelet depletion.