ABSTRACT
Air pollution is a worldwide public health issue and it is associated with millions of premature deaths due to cancer, thrombosis, and pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Thrombosis is the excessive clotting that blocks a blood vessel, and its etiology is multifactorial. In recent years, growing evidence has linked air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM) and metals, to the development of thrombosis. PM and metals induce lung and systemic inflammation and oxidative stress that are frequent mechanisms in thrombosis. Platelets are important effectors of physiological hemostasis and pathological thrombosis. They are responsible for the formation of the initial plug and are important in the cellular model of coagulation. Therefore, any changes in their morphology or function or an increase in activation could be extremely relevant in thrombosis. Megakaryocytes (MKs) in the bone marrow and in the lungs are the precursor cells of platelets, and the latter is the first organ injured by air pollution. There is substantial evidence of the effect that PM and metals have on platelets, but there is almost no research about the effect of PM and metals on MKs. It is very likely that the alterations produced by air pollution originate in these cells. In this article, we review the biology of MKs and platelets and their role in particulate air pollution-related thrombosis to emphasize the need for further research in this field.
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants/adverse effects , Blood Platelets/drug effects , Megakaryocytes/drug effects , Particulate Matter/adverse effects , Thrombosis/etiology , Blood Platelets/metabolism , Humans , Thrombosis/chemically inducedABSTRACT
Resumen El megacariocito es la célula más grande de la médula ósea, por lo tanto es relativamente fácil reconocer su presencia al observar un aspirado o una biopsia de este tejido. Difiere de otras células por su tamaño, por ser poliploide y crecer por endomitosis. No hay otra célula humana que crezca así. Además, tiene funciones biológicas muy importantes. La más conocida es el dar origen a las plaquetas, que son indispensables para la hemostasia y la reparación de los vasos sanguíneos dañados, así como para la cicatrización de los tejidos que rodean a las heridas. Sin embargo, en los últimos años, a los megacariocitos también se les han atribuido algunas otras funciones que discutiremos en esta revisión.
Abstract The Megakaryocyte is the biggest cell in the bone marrow; therefore, it is easy to recognize in a bone marrow aspirate. In humans, this cell differs from others because of its size, its polyploidy and because it grows by endomitosis. It is the only human cell that grows this way. In addition, the megakaryocyte has very important biological functions. Its best-known function is being in charge of the production of platelets, which are essential for hemostasis, the repair of damaged blood vessels, and healing the tissues surrounding wounds. However, in recent years, other functions have been attributed to the megakaryocyte, which will be discussed in this review.
