Morphological and Functional Activity Dynamics of Blood Lymphocytes in Large White Breed Pigs in Postnatal Ontogenesis and during Pregnancy

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to research the activity of nucleolar organizers of blood lymphocytes in large white breed pigs in postnatal ontogenesis and during pregnancy. The prepared blood smears were stained with silver nitrate (AgNO3) and additionally stained with azur and eosin. By measuring the parameters of the nucleus and nucleolar organizers’ activity (AgNORs), the changes in the morphological and functional state of the protein synthesizing apparatus of blood lymphocytes in large white breed pigs in postnatal ontogenesis were evaluated. It was found that the area of lymphocyte nuclei in newborn piglets was 83.72±3.37 mm2. By the age of three months, the area of the lymphocyte nuclei of pigs significantly increased by 13.41% (p⩽0.05) and amounted to 96.69±2.57 mm2, at the age of six months this indicator was 15.78% more than at the age of three months (114.80±3.69), by the age of nine months the number of AgNORs significantly (p⩽0.05) decreased by 11.32% compared to six-month-old animals (101.80±2.97). From 1 to 4 units of AgNORs are detected in the lymphocyte nuclei. By the age of three months, the total area of nucleolar organizers’ zones decreased by 29.30% (p⩽0.05), and by the age of twelve months increased by 16.72% (p⩽0.05) compared to the previous age period. A slight increase in the area of the lymphocyte nucleus was observed in pigs after delivery by 9.15% (p⩽0.05). After delivery, the number of AgNORs in pigs significantly increased by 11.26% (p⩽0.05). During pregnancy, from 1 to 3 AgNORs were detected in pigs with a total area of 4.29±0.27 to 4.33±0.30 microns. Based on the conducted research, it can be concluded that the functional state of lymphocytes undergoes obvious changes in postnatal ontogenesis and during pregnancy, this can be seen in alterations in the area of their nuclei, the number and total area of AgNORs.