Lead exposure induces pycnosis and enucleation of peripheral erythrocytes in the domestic fowl.
Lead (Pb) shot were administered orally to young chickens to determine the effects on red blood cells (RBCs). The concentrations of Pb in the blood of young chickens rose rapidly after Pb administration and were maintained at high levels for several days. The number of RBCs with pycnotic nuclei, reticulocytes and enucleated RBCs increased concurrently. Pycnotic nuclei were surrounded by enlarged nucleolemmal cisternae, which sometimes opened to the extracellular space. Gel electrophoresis showed that the presence of pycnotic nuclei was not associated with DNA fragmentation typical of apoptosis. It was concluded that exposure to lead shot changes nuclear morphology in the peripheral blood of domestic fowl.
Hiraga
Takeo
T
Department of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Bunkyodai-Midorimachi, Ebetsu 069-8501, Japan.
Ohyama
Kei
K
Hashigaya
Ayano
A
Ishikawa
Tomoya
T
Muramoto
Wakana
W
Kitagawa
Hiroshi
H
Mizuno
Naoharu
N
Teraoka
Hiroki
H
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000097:blood*
D007854:Lead