Objective: To induce hematopoietic progenitor/stem cells of umbilical cord blood to differentiate into mature megakaryocytes and platelets in vitro and to investigate the mechanism of production of platelets.
Methods: The CD34+ cells were sorted from umbilical cord blood by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) and then cultured in vitro with optimized medium to be differentiated into mature megakaryocytes and platelets. The cultured cells and the platelet-like particles were isolated from the culture and were checked by the fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS), immunohistochemistry assays, light microscope,electron microscope and platelet aggregation tests.
Results: The cultured megakaryocytes were detected with proplatelets and both the cultured cells and the platelet-sized particles were found to have the same structure with the normal megakaryocytes and platelets by light and electron microscope. The immunohistochemistry assays revealed the cultured cells expressed GP II b III a with a positivity of 95% which was a special antigen for platelets and megakaryocytes. Culture-derived platelet-sized particles aggregated in response to thrombin as the plasma derived-platelets did. The cultured platelets had the same positivity of CD41 as the platelets from platelet rich plasma.
Conclusion: The hematopoietic progenitor/stem cells can be induced to differentiate into purified and mature megakaryocytes and platelets. It provides a practical way to study the mechanism of platelets production.