The blood cells of the common lizard (Podarcis s. sicula Raf.): morphocytochemistry, DNA amount of red cells and hemopoiesis.

Morphocytochemical study of the blood cells and hemopoiesis of the common lizard demonstrated the occurrence of elliptical erythrocytes, lymphocytes, plasmocytes, monocytes, neutrophilic granulocytes type I and II, eosinophilic granulocytes and thrombocytes in circulating blood. Erythropoiesis occurs in bone marrow and in circulating blood. From the cytophotometrical measures of DNA amount, performed on RBCs, resulted that the percentage of duplicating cells decreases with the decreasing of the size of erythroblasts and therefore according to their maturation. In two specimens, in which tail was cut, to stimulate hemopoiesis, anemia and increase of erythroblasts both in peripheral blood and bone marrow, were observed after 9-15 days since the tail cut. Granulocytopoiesis occurs in bone marrow through the stages of mieloblasts, promielocytes and mielocytes. Lymphocytopoiesis occurs in spleen, through the same stages of the other vertebrates. Highest values of hemoglobin, hematocrit and RBC number and active hemopoiesis were observed in spring, while the lowest one in autumn and winter.