Effect of excess dietary copper on proliferation and differentiation of the proerythroblasts and erythrocytes in rats

摘要

This research was carried out to test the cytotoxic effects of excess copper in rats. Animals were divided into three groups, each containing five animals. Low dose (2 mg/kg) and high dose (4 mg/kg) of copper sulphate were force-fed into the animal by a stomach tube daily for 3 weeks and the third group was used as?the?control. At the end of each week, three animals (one of each group) were randomly selected and sacrificed. Blood?samples were?collected and blood smears were made. The bone marrow was collected from the heads of long-bones and bone marrow smears were also prepared. It?was?found that?the?application of copper sulphate doses modulates the proliferation and differentiation of stem cell progenitors and erythrocytes. Several alterations were observed and these were time- and dose-dependent. Of these alterations, the predominant existence of giant pro-erythroblasts and pro-myeloblasts marked the increase of adipose cells and degeneration of pro-erythroblasts among the bone marrow cells. Also observed were hypochromia, anisocytosis, fragmentation and burr-shaped erythrocytes.