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Haematological, haematopoietic and biochemical responses to thermal stress in an air‐breathing freshwater fish, Channa punctatus Bloch
Author(s) -
Dheer J. M. S.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1988.tb05353.x
Subject(s) - biology , context (archaeology) , haematopoiesis , zoology , reticulocyte , homeostasis , glycogen , medicine , erythropoiesis , hematocrit , hemoglobin , endocrinology , physiology , anemia , biochemistry , paleontology , genetics , stem cell , messenger rna , gene
Results of experiments on fishes maintained at three different temperatures (25, 30 and 35° C), compared with a control group maintained at 14° C, are presented. Fishes showed obvious signs of stress at 30 and 35° C, as indicated by loss of weight and increase in mortality rate. On the other hand, those at 14 and 25° C gained weight steadily and showed normal growth. Biochemical studies confirm the stress symptoms, as there was a steady, statistically significant fall in blood glucose level and depletion of glycogen reserves in liver and muscle within the first week at 35° C and by the fourth week at 30° C. These results were further confirmed by haematological investigations. All the parameters tested indicated deviation from the normal healthy conditions seen at 14 and 25° C. The deviations in most of the parameters at 35° C were statistically significant from about the second week, and at 30° C by the fourth week. Erythrocytic polycythemia accompanied by an increase in haemoglobin content and haematocrit values were indicative of thermal stress. Leucopenia was mainly contributed by neutrophil decrease, but a relative increase in thrombocytes was recorded. Correlated erythropoietic studies indicated an increase both in the initial (small lymphoid haemoblast) and penultimate (mature reticulocyte) stages in red cell development, although the intermediate stages decreased in number. Similar trends in the different stages of neutrophil development were observed. The significance of these changes in the context of homeostatic phenomena is discussed.