Blood, 1955, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 325-333.
© 1955 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Particulate Component in the Blood Plasma of Mice with
Transplantable Leukemia
E. DE ROBERTIS 1,
R. CANZANI 1,
G. GASIC 1, and
B. EPSTEIN 1
1 Instituto de Investigación de Ciencias Biológicas, Departamento de Ultraestructura Celular, Montevideo, Uruguay.
Blood and plasma smears of mice inoculated with two leukemic lines were
studied under the electron microscope.
In 15 mice of the AKR strain and in two C58 mice inoculated with the Hch
leukemia line of the Instituto de Biología of Chile (372 to 382 transfers), dense
submicroscopic particles were found in the blood plasma. In some cases isolated
particles or clumps of them were found adsorbed on the red cell membranes.
The particle size ranged between 19 and 58 mµ, with a large peak at 38 mµ.
The survival time of the inoculated animals was of 5 days and the submicroscopic
particles were constantly found between the 3rd and 5th day.
Similar dense submicroscopic particles were found in blood plasma smears of
three C58 mice at the 16th day after inoculation with the Ich leukemia line (86th
transfer).
The probable significance of these particles is discussed on the basis of the literature regarding the etiology of mouse leukemia.
Submitted on August 17, 1954
Accepted on September 30, 1954
