EFFECT OF SHORT-TERM IRON SUPPLEMENTATION ON BONE MARROW AND PERIPHERAL BLOOD CELLS OF RABBITS

The aim of this study is to evaluate iron deficiency and iron overload on the structure of the bone marrow as well as the peripheral blood cells of rabbitt (Oryctolagus cuniculus ) as a model of experimental animals. For this purpose twenty four premature rabbits were divided into four groups each of six animals. Animals of the first group were well-fed. Animals of the second group were starved. Animals of the third group were well-fed and supplemented with iron as fumarate. Animals of the last group were starved and supplemented with fumarate. The starved animals were fed small amount of low iron diet every morning along the three weeks of experimentation. Smears from bone marrow and peripheral blood were prepared after each week of administration The bone marrow of the starved animals without iron supplementation showed normal appearance. However, the stem cell progenitors were predominantly in the last stage of development. The reticulocytes appeared with clear cytoplasm. By continuous iron supplementation the bone marrow cells restored their normal distribution and shapes. By time stainable materials were deposited within the cytoplasm and nuclei of the proerythroblasts . The reticulocytes become irregular in shape. These abnormalities took place in the red blood cells. In the well fed and iron supplemented groups the stainable materials were badly accumulated in the bone marrow cells from the first week of administration. These Tesults concluded the severe need of iron to treat iron deficiency in a short period. However , long duration of iron supplementation will introduce certain types of abnormalities in bone marrow and peripheral blood cells