Thrombopoietin

Although the cellular physiology of megakaryocyte and platelet production has been understood for nearly a decade, the humoral basis of this process has remained enigmatic until recently. “Thrombopoietin — At Last” heralded one editorial1 when the cloning of the chief regulator of megakaryocyte and platelet production was reported.24 The availability of the purified hormone has made possible new insights into many aspects of blood-cell development and provided a way to increase platelet production in patients with bone marrow failure. This review focuses on the physiology of thrombopoietin and megakaryocyte production, with a view to understanding how this information can . . .