KEY POINTS OF REPTILES HEMATOLOGY: PECULIARITIES OF ESTIMATION OF THE LEUKOCYTIC BLOOD 

Pavlov Aleksey Vladilenovich, Candidate of biological sciences, associate professor, senior stuff scientist, Volga-Kama State Natural Biosphere Reserve (1 Vekhova street, Sadoviy village, Zelenodolsk district, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia), E-mail: zilantelan@mail.ru 

591.85 : 598.1 

DOI

10.21685/2307-9150-2019-1-14 

Background. In herpetology, hematological indicators are widely used in veterinary practice, in ecological and biological studies, and as a complex bioindicator. Differences in interpreting the results of various studies are due to the peculiarities of reptilian hemopoiesis and the variability of leukocyte morphology, which leads to distortions of the real picture. The aim of the work – a synthesis of critical multivariate moments in reptile hematology, which are essential for theory and practice.
Materials and methods. The author’s materials on leukocyte morphology of 9 reptile’s species are used. Generalized own and literary data. The most controversial features of the leukocyte blood and its interpretation are considered.
Results. Three types of errors in the study of morphology of the elements of white blood were identified: similarity of platelets and lymphocytes, neutrophil/heterophil, and monocyte/azurophil leukocytes. Platelets and lymphocytes are clearly diagnosed by the complex: cytoplasm, nucleus. The most reliable is structure of the chromatin of the nucleus. Reptiles are believed to have no neutrophils, their functions are performed by heterophiles. According to morphological features, a number of species have been defined neutrophils, similar to those of mammals. The nature of monocytes and azurophil remains controversial: it is likely that they have a neutrophilic origin in snakes, and lizards are close to monocytes. Controversial issues are also associated with terminological difficulties and a variety of toxicly modified leukocytes. Quantitative indicators allow us to identify the nature of leukocytes. Careful attention must be paid to the amount of sample data at all levels of research. Absolute and relative indicators of the leukocytes content can be interpreted dually.
Conclusions. Nowadays, difficulties in reptile hematology have not been completely overcome. To assess the quality of researches and their interpretation, a methodical list of features has been proposed, allowing to determine the permissible range of tasks to be solved: 1) the time and place of obtaining hematological material; 2) gender, age of animals, sample size of each group; 3) clinical status of individuals (at a minimum, size and weight indicators); 4) the number of smears from each individual; 5) description of the technique of preparation, fixation and staining of smears; 6) the number of smears examined and the cells count sample; 7) links to the source of description cell morphology and terminology used; 8) images and cell descriptions in pioneer study of the species; 9) absolute indices (μL), and specific values (%). 

Key words

reptile hematology, research methodology, platelets, lymphocytes, neutrophils, heterophiles, monocytes, azurophils, reference interval 

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