Comparison of Hematopoiesis in the Fetus and During Recovery From Pernicious Anemia

Abstract

It is well known that the red corpuscles of the newborn are larger than those of the normal adult. Little study has been made, however, of the size and number of the corpuscles of the fetus. The purpose of this communication is to describe certain observations on the size and number of the red cells in the blood of the fetus and newborn of several species of mammal; namely, man, rabbit, pig, rat, cat and dog. In the species examined, it has been found that low erythrocyte counts and large red corpuscles are consistently found in the fetus, and that the younger the fetus the lower is the red cell count and the larger the red corpuscles. As compared with the blood of the adult of the same species, there is in the fetus what may for descriptive purposes be spoken of as " anemia " of the macrocytic type. As the fetus develops, the erythrocyte count rises and the mean size of the red corpuscles diminishes in a manner which reminds one of the changes which take place in the blood of patients with pernicious anemia during the response to liver therapy. REVIEW OF LITERATUREMalassez (1)

Erythropoiesis with Particular Reference to its Study by Biopsy of Human Bone Marrow: A Review

“…In pathological states such as Addisonian pernicious anaemia, and in certain refractory anaemias where there is hyperplasia of primitive cells, they are more frequent and may be seen in groups or even as syncitia (see Schleicher, 1945). Wintrobe (1946, p. 32) gives interesting data from thirty human foetuses; see also Wintrobe and Shumacker, 1935. …”

Pre- and Postnatal Development of Granulocytic Stem Cells in the Rat

“…Indeed, although red blood cells circulate in the human fetus before the 5th week of gestation (19), mature neutrophils generally d o not appear until after the 12th to 14th week (13) and then exist only in very minute concentration until after birth (16). Because of this late appearance of neutrophils during human gestation, we postulated that infants born prematurely might possess an incompletely developed neutrophil system and that this deficiency might, in part, be responsible for the high incidence of bacterial infection in this group of patients (18).…”

Sensory Neuron Degeneration in Vitamin Deficiency

“…The following observations were made in the course of an attempt to produce in young animals a condition similar to pernicious anemia. Such animals were chosen because it had been found that the blood of the mammalian fetus as well as the bone marrow, is similar to that of patients with this disease and during development undergoes changes similar to those caused by liver extract in pernicious anemia (6). The pig was used, as it is from the liver and the stomach of this animal that substances for the treatment of pernicious anemia are derived.…”