MEG-01 Cells

The MEG-01 cell line is a human megakaryoblast cell line established from the bone marrow of a 55-year-old male patient who was in the megakaryoblastic crisis phase of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML). This cell line was developed in 1983 at Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan. The patient from whom MEG-01 was derived was positive for the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1), a hallmark of CML. The MEG-01 cells exhibit a hyperdiploid karyotype with a modal chromosome number of 56 to 58, consistently showing the presence of the Ph1 chromosome, which is a result of the t(9;22) chromosomal translocation.
MEG-01 cells have mixed growth properties, demonstrating both adherent and suspension characteristics in culture. These cells express several markers and antigens characteristic of megakaryocytic lineage, including CD41, CD61, and CDw14. They also test positive for cytoplasmic Factor VIII, surface GPIIb/IIIa, and various enzymatic activities such as periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction, alpha naphthyl acetate esterase, and acid phosphatase. Interestingly, MEG-01 cells are negative for myeloperoxidase, alpha naphthyl butyrate esterase, naphthol AS-D chloroacetate esterase, and alkaline phosphatase, which helps distinguish them from other myeloid cells.
MEG-01 has been a valuable model for studying human megakaryopoiesis, platelet production, and the biosynthesis of proteins unique to the megakaryocytic lineage, such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and glycoproteins like GPIIb/IIIa. Due to its well-characterized genetic background and its ability to express key megakaryocyte markers, MEG-01 serves as a significant tool in the investigation of leukemia and platelet biogenesis mechanisms, although it is not intended for therapeutic or in vivo applications.