Cytochemical patterns of the peripheral blood cells in Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis).

The Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) is an endemic rare crocodilian species in China. In this study, we investigated the cytochemical patterns of peripheral blood cells in Chinese alligators for the first time by a range of cytochemical staining techniques including periodic acid-Schiff(PAS), sudan black B(SBB), peroxidase(POX), alkaline phosphatase(AKP), acid phosphatase(ACP), chloroacetic acid AS-D naphthol esterase(AS-D) and α-naphthol acetate esterase(α-NAE) staining. Erythrocytes were positive for PAS, and negative for all the other staining; heterophils were strongly positive for SBB, POX, ACP, AKP, AS-D and α-NAE, while weakly positive for PAS staining; eosinophils were strongly positive for PAS, POX, AKP, ACP and AS-D, and weakly positive for SBB and α-NAE staining; basophils were strongly positive for PAS, positive for POX, ACP, AKP and α-NAE, and weakly positive for AS-D, while negative for SBB staining; monocytes were weakly positive for PAS, ACP, AKP and α-NAE, while negative for SBB, POX and AS-D staining; lymphocytes were weakly positive for PAS and α-NAE, negative for all the other staining; thrombocytes were weakly positive for PAS, and negative for all the other staining. Our results add up knowledge about Chinese alligator blood cells.