A study on cytochemical properties of white blood cells from Acipenseridae of southern Caspian Sea

The objective of this study was to study leukocytes characteristics of Acipenseridae of southern Caspian Sea stained by cytochemical stains in order to classify these cells more accurately. The samples were taken from Sturgeon propagation centers and International Sturgeon Research Institute in the north part of Iran. 10 fish were selected randomly from each age group (fingerling, 1, 2, 3 to 11 years) and blood samples were taken from caudal vein using syringes with no anticoagulant. Blood smears were prepared immediately and fixed by methanol. The smears then stained using cytochemical staining according to the Sigma-Aldrich instructions. Neutrophils were positive for Sudan Black-B(SBB), Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Peroxidase (PER) but negative for choloroacetate esterase (CAE). Eosinophi is stained positively for PER and SBB and weakly for PAS, acid phosphatase (ACP), CAE and a-naphthyl acetate esterase (a-NAE). Basophil was absent in the studied blood smears. Lymphocytes were positive for ACP but weak for PAS, CAE and a-NAE. Monocytes stained positively for B-glucoronidase (BG) in Acipenser persicus 5 and 11 years group, in Acipenser stellatus 1 and 2 years group, in Acipenser gueldenstaedtii 1 year group, in Acipenser nudiventris 9 year and in Huso huso 7 year group and stained weakly for a-NAE.