Haematopoiesis in the European common toad Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758): new methodological insights to study general, seasonal, and sexual haematopoietic distribution and maturation pattern
Peripheral blood and haematopoiesis in bone marrow and liver tissue were investigated in Bufo bufo during the sexual cycle. A combined touch and imprinting tissue method were applied for the haematopoietic cell isolation. The liver is the primary site of erythropoiesis and partial lymphopoiesis. There was a positive correlation between body mass and liver mass, but it was not significant (P > 0.05). The primary role of yellow bone marrow is the maturation of haematopoietic cells, while red bone marrow is responsible for the production of blood cells. The largest surface, and therefore the largest dimensions, was established for erythrocytes. Significant differences in the number of leukocytes and their size were established between males and females (P < 0.05). Small numbers of leukocytes but very large cells were characteristic for females. The highest percentages of leukocytes were for lymphocytes and eosinophils. The reproductive period showed significant impact on the haematopoietic intensity in the bone marrow and liver, resulting in changes in peripheral blood, regarding the ratio of mature blood cells.