Chapter 12 – Hematology

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the hematology of the mouse. In the adult mouse, both the spleen and bone marrow are hemopoietic organs. The bone marrow of the femur and vertebral column occupy between 90% and 96% of the available medullary space. The hemopoietic system is perpetually self-renewing and if the proliferation of cells is halted, viable cells disappear quite rapidly from the circulation and death ensues from hemorrhage, infection, or anemia. This result can be prevented by the injection of compatible stem cells from normal donors. The mouse red cell is decidedly smaller than that found in the human, with mean cell volumes (MCV) of 40-50 fl. Hemoglobin concentration in the red cell (MCHC) is similar to the human, and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) is reduced proportionately to MCV. However, actual levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit in circulating blood are similar to those in the human and other mammals. As in man, mouse red cells contain traces of porphyrin, apparently as a by-product of heme synthesis. Normal serum bilirubin levels are similar to human levels. Mean values were 0.5 mg/dl to 1.2 mg/dl in three strains. Bile pigment is excreted primarily via bile into the intestine. Platelets in the mouse resemble those of other mammals. Platelet survival time in the peripheral blood is 4–5 days in the mouse.