The red blood cells in growing guinea pigs (Cavia cobaya) . I. Communication: pre- and perinatal changes in bone marrow and blood
Schwartze, H.; Voigt, J.
Folia Haematologica 113(3): 383-397
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0323-4347 PMID: 2428714 Document Number: 283860
118 blood samples, 98 bone-marrow smears of guinea pig fetuses, 156 blood samples of spontaneously born guinea pigs 1 to 5 days of age, and 119 bone-marrow smears of the same age group were analysed quantitatively. The normoblasts show significant differences in pre- and early postnatal animals: a peak of the cell count is found in the late fetus which decreases immediately after birth. The prenatal development of the red blood picture is characterised by an increase of erythrocyte count and hematocrit and a decrease of cell size, and reticulocyte count. This development continues postnatally. The perinatal bone-marrow and blood picture findings suggest a true postnatal increase of the erythrocyte count in the guinea pig during the first 3 to 5 days of life which likely is due to the grown demand for oxygen transport capacity.