Figure 2.

A scheme for megakaryopoiesis to show the involvement of transcription factors in a stepwise manner. Mutations on the transcription factors induce defective megakaryocyte maturation, resulting in congenital thrombocytopenia. Most except for MECOM are found to be associated with abnormal hyperplasia of MkPs or MKs upon mutation. HSCs produce all lineages of hematopoietic cells, and MEPs are differentiated into both megakaryocytes and erythroid cells. Megakaryocytes are further maturated to proplatelets and release platelets into blood flow. One megakaryocyte is known to produce more than 3000 platelets and approximately 10¹¹ platelets are generated daily. Abbreviations: RUNX1, Runt-related transcription factor 1; FLI1, friend leukemia virus integration 1; NFE2, Nuclear factor erythroid 2; MECOM, MDS1 and EVI1 complex locus; ETV6, ETS variant 6.