Impact on COVID-19
- Platelets are crucial for wound healing, and their levels must be maintained for proper blood clotting.
- Researchers at LMU University Hospital and BMC discovered that innate immune system cells called plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) play a significant role in controlling platelet formation.
- The pDCs patrol inside the bone marrow to regulate the maturation of new megakaryocytes (MKs) and adjust their quantity based on the body’s needs.
- In patients with severe Covid-19, there was an accumulation of activated pDCs in the bone marrow, leading to excessive MK quantity.
- The discovery of this mechanism could lead to new treatment methods for Covid-19 and other diseases related to irregular platelet production, by targeting pDC-controlled megakaryopoiesis.
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Immunology, Hematology, Pediatrics