Discovery Helps Explain Why Chemo Causes Drop in Platelet Numbers (IMAGE)

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute

Discovery Helps Explain Why Chemo Causes Drop in Platelet Numbers

Caption

Healthy bone marrow (top) contains many cell types including platelet-producing megakaryocytes (brown). The pro-survival protein Bcl-xL is important for keeping megakaryocytes alive. After chemotherapy (below) many cell types in the bone marrow, including megakaryocytes, are killed through a process requiring the pro-death proteins Bax and Bak. Platelet numbers can be depleted in the blood by chemotherapy because of its toxicity for both platelets and megakaryocytes.

Credit

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

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