Lungs make platelets! New findings.

[gfoss]

Hi everyone,

My father has been diagnosed with MDS two years ago and his platelets have dropped to 13, with other blood lines either in range, or moderately below range. Except for platelets. They have been gradually declining for the past few years… now we are testing blood weekly and still see either stable, or a few points down each week.

Last night, I came across this article describing new proof that our lungs create platelets (not just our bone marrow) Any chance some of us may have lung issues and not necessarily MDS / bone marrow problems?

http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2017/03/406111/surprising-new-role-lungs-making-blood

[gfoss]

I’ll definitely be bringing this us at my fathers next appointment at Stanford. Lungs evidently make 50% of our platelets and perhaps if we can check our Kung function, we could at least help with the low platelet problem MDS causes.

It’s been the single largest factor of anxiety and worry for us. We check blood counts weekly.

[Lynn Turpack]

Hi Gilda,

It is exciting that lungs can make platelets. As for the possiblility of having a lung problem rather than MDS, my diagnosis was from a bonemarrow biopsy…….so don’t know how it could be a lung disorder.

Perhaps there is a chance that there is also a lung malfunction. Interesting find!

Lynn

[Donald Bodda]

Very interesting research.
In 2008 I had my lungs burned with a chemical that caused me to have Bronchiectasis now with this new find I’m going to have a good conversation with my Dr next week, hopefully there’s something that can be done for me by treating my lungs.
Thanks for your research and posting this news.
God Bless

[dj carroll]

Good article…came out in the Spring. Thanks for posting.

Lynn: Lung problems may be implicated in MDS IF there is little or no stem cell production, ’cause the stem cells from the lungs CAN, it appears, repopulate bone marrow.

Quote from article …”The observation that blood stem cells and progenitors seem to travel back and forth freely between the lung and bone marrow lends support to a growing sense among researchers that stem cells may be much more active than previously appreciated, Looney said. “We’re seeing more and more that the stem cells that produce the blood don’t just live in one place but travel around through the blood stream. Perhaps ‘studying abroad’ in different organs is a normal part of stem cell education.”

[Author]

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