Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) ASCP Practice Exam

The type of leukemia characterized by a proliferation of megakaryocytes is megakaryocytic leukemia. This form of leukemia specifically involves the abnormal proliferation of megakaryocytes, which are the bone marrow cells responsible for producing platelets. In megakaryocytic leukemia, there is a significant increase in megakaryocyte numbers in the bone marrow, which can lead to various clinical manifestations, including abnormalities in platelet production and function. In contrast, myeloblastic leukemia primarily involves myeloblasts and the myeloid lineage, while promyelocytic leukemia is characterized by the presence of promyelocytes, resulting in a distinct type of altered blood cell production. Acute myeloid leukemia encompasses a broader group of diseases, again focusing on different stages of myeloid cell differentiation rather than megakaryocytes specifically. Therefore, recognizing that megakaryocytic leukemia highlights the proliferation of megakaryocytes clarifies why this option is the correct answer.