PERIPHERAL BLOOD NEUTROPHIL MORPHOLOGY IN THE AMERICAN MINK (NEOVISON VISON) OF VARIOUS COLORS: A MORPHOMETRIC STUDY

Objective - to examine the effect of aleutian gene (a/a) on the morphology of blood neutrophils in American mink (Neovison vison) of various colors. Materials and methods. The study was performed on American minks (Neovison vison) of several colors (n=92, 6 months-old animals). The morphology of neutrophils was studied in the peripheral blood smears using light microscopy. Abnormal granule size and numbers were determined by morphometric analysis in homozygous minks with aleutian gene (a/a). Results. The neutrophils of leukocytes in minks without the aleutian gene (a/a) in a homozygous state were morphologically similar to those in most other mammalian species. In minks carrying the recessive (a/a) mutation: aleutian (a/a), sapphire (a/a p/p), lavender (m/m a/a), violet (m/m a/a p/p), Shadow sapphire (SH/+a/a p/p), sapphire Leopard (SK/+a/a p/p), Cross sapphire (S/+a/a p/p) - the neutrophils had abnormally large granules. Morphometric analysis revealed the significantly differences in size and numbers of the abnormal neutrophilic granules between minks of various colors. Among mink genotypes studied, the most expressed abnormalities were expressed in violet minks (m/m a/a p/p) due to the greatest number of «giant» granules in their neutrophils that had the smallest size as compared with those in other mink mutant forms. Conclusions. The aleutian gene (a/a) affects the structure of blood neutrophils in all mink colors. The defect Neutrophil granule abnormality is modified by genetic environment, which affects the coat color in minks.

peripheral blood neutrophils, American mink (Neovison vison), aleutian gene (a/a, coat color mutations)