Blood, Hematopoiesis & Bone Marrow: Answers

Does the cytoplasm of all the megakaryocytes look the same?
No.

Questions

1. What is the functional significance of the cytoplasmic staining affinities of the basophilic erythroblast, polychromatophilic erythroblast, normoblast and erythrocyte?
   Basophilic erythroblast: Ribosomes predominate, production of transferring receptors;
   polychromatophilic erythroblast: hemoglobin synthesis beginning;
   normoblast: hemoglobin fills cytoplasm, pyknotic nucleus;
   erythrocyte: anuclear cell, hemoglobin fills cytoplasm.
2. Is the nucleus more intensely basophilic in an erythroblast or a normoblast?
   Normoblast.
   What is the significance of these nuclear changes?
   Erythroblasts are cells in which DNA is transcribed; the chromatin is no longer active in the normoblast.
3. What is the origin of platelets?
   Megakaryocyte.

<<Back