TPO is vital in the process of hematopoiesis, specifically in the production of platelets (thrombopoiesis). It binds to the TPO receptor (c-Mpl) on the surface of megakaryocyte progenitors in the bone marrow. This binding activates intracellular signaling pathways that promote the survival, proliferation, and maturation of megakaryocytes. Mature megakaryocytes then undergo a process called endomitosis, where they replicate their DNA without cell division, leading to increased cell size and the formation of platelet-producing cytoplasmic extensions.
