The colony forming unit-megakaryocyte assay, better known as the CFU-Mk assay is a robust and predictive in vitro assay for evaluating the toxicity of test compounds on megakaryocytic progenitors. Thrombopoiesis is the process of thrombocyte generation. Thrombocytes are the ligations of the cytoplasm from megakaryocytes. Sometimes compounds can effect overall thrombopoiesis by impacting proliferation or differentiation events downstream (i.e. later in development) from the progenitors themselves. In these situations, the CFU-Mk assay may not necessarily reveal the toxic effects of the compounds and an analysis of different points along the thrombopoietic pathway is required.
ReachBio Research Labs has optimized a liquid cell culture system that supports thrombopoiesis in vitro, from CD34+ progenitors to megakaryocytes and all the way through to mature platelets.
We can evaluate your compounds in our in complete vitro thrombopoietic culture systems utilizing both cellular and molecular approaches, including:
- Colony Assays - for evaluation of megakaryocytic progenitors (CFU-Mk)
- Flow Cytometry - for quantitative lineage analysis (e.g. CD117, CD41)
- qPCR - for evaluation of thrombopoietic gene expression (e.g. NF-E2, GATA-1, RAB27B)
- Cell Counting - for evaluation of mature platelet numbers generated
To obtain a copy of our PowerPoint presentation which goes into greater detail and provides more information about how our in vitro thrombopoiesis culture system can help you evaluate the effects your compounds have on thrombopoiesis, please CONTACT US to request it. We would be delighted to send you a copy and will schedule a time for one of our scientists go over the slide deck with you via a teleconference.
