| abstract |
New therapies for treating blood platelet disorders based on the thrombopoietin/megapoietin gene and protein are described. Additional utilities for thrombopoietin/megapoietin such as increasing the storage life of platelet and whole blood preparations, a means for selectively targeting therapeutic or imaging agents to arterial clots, and a means for selectively stimulating platelet production from megakaryocytes in vivo and in vitro (e.g., as a source of platelets for transplantation) and to stimulate stem cell growth are also described. |