Dynamics of morphometric and optical parameters of rat lymphocytes under the influence of copper-zinc pyrite ore

Relevance. The study of changes in the morphological and optical parameters of the rat lymphocyte population under the influence of copper-zinc pyrite ore makes it possible to assess the state of the body’s immune system. Since the negative effects of body contact with heavy metal salts, which are part of copper-zinc pyrite ores, may occur in mining workers. The aim of the work was to study the morphometric and optical parameters (cell surface square, nucleus, cytoplasm, volume and optical density) of peripheral blood lymphocytes of rats under the influence of copper-zinc pyrite ore. Materials and Methods . In this work, using computer morphometry in a chronic experiment, the dimensional parameters of lymphocytes and their structures, as well as the optical properties of these cells in rats exposed to copper-zinc pyrite ore, were studied. At the same time, the volume of lymphocytes was calculated from the histograms of distribution represented by a hematological analyzer. In the experiment, 70 inbreding male rats of three to four months of age (average weight 210.5 ± 10.5 g) were used. In accordance with the timing of exposure to copper-zinc pyrite ore, the rats were divided into several groups. Blood counts were analyzed on a hematology analyzer Vet Exigo 19 (Sweden). Morphometric parameters of lymphocytes were determined by computer morphometry on peripheral blood smears stained according to Romanovsky - Giemse using the MEKOS-C2 soft automatic microscopy complex (Russia) installed as part of the functions for smear analysis on the AXIO Lab.A1 microscope (ZEISS, Germany). Results and Discussion. The analysis of histograms of the distribution of lymphocytes by square and volume demonstrated the predominance of small and medium-sized cells in the population. On the 30th day of the experiment, an increase in volume was observed, and on the 45th day, the square of lymphocytes. The increase in the square of the nucleus and the decrease in its optical density occurring during all periods of the experiment was obviously due to the conversion of heterochromatin into active euchromatin, and the decrease in the size of the cytoplasm was due to a decrease in its metabolic activity. Conclusions . It can be assumed that the revealed rearrangements were associated with adaptive processes under the action of ore on the body of rats.