Please cite this article in press as: Zago, C.E.S., et al., Morphological, morphometrical and ultrastructural characterization of Phrynops geoffroanus’ (Testudines: Chelidae) blood cells, in different environments. Micron (2010), doi:10.1016/j.micron.2010.06.006 ARTICLE IN PRESS G Model JMIC-1527; No. of Pages 6 Micron xxx (2010) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Micron journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/micron Morphological, morphometrical and ultrastructural characterization of Phrynops geoffroanus’ (Testudines: Chelidae) blood cells, in different environments Carlos Eduardo Saranz Zago c , Tiago Lucena da Silva c , Maria Isabel Afonso da Silva c , Larissa Paola Rodrigues Venancio c , Priscila Pasqüetto Mendonc ¸a c , Luiz Roberto Falleiros Junior a , Luiz Dino Vizotto c , Sebastião Roberto Taboga a , Claudia Regina Bonini-Domingos c , Maria Tercília Vilela de Azeredo-Oliveira c,∗ , Classius de Oliveira b a Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Microscopia e Microanálise – UNESP-IBILCE-São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil b Departamento de Biologia, Laboratório de Anatomia Comparada – UNESP-IBILCE-São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil c Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Estudos de Quelônios – UNESP-IBILCE-São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil article info Article history: Received 23 February 2010 Received in revised form 2 June 2010 Accepted 19 June 2010 Keywords: Phrynops geoffroanus Turtles Blood cells Morphology Ultrastructure abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the formed elements in the periferical blood of two amostral groups of Phrynops geoffroanus: one from an urban environment under domestic sewage dumping, and another from a non-contaminated environment. Blood samples of 36 animals (females and males) were collected through cardiocentesis. Sixteen specimens were from the urban environment, and 20 were from a control environment. Samples of blood tissue were used for light microscopy analysis, and also for morphometric analysis of red blood cells. For the ultrastructural analysis, blood samples of 2 ani- mals were used. The formed elements found, using morphological and ultrastructural analysis were: nucleated red blood cells; thrombocytes; neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils; eosinophils; heterophils, and azurophils. The morphometric analysis of all red blood cells parameters examinated in females showed a statistically significant difference, but in males just the nuclear area showed differ- ence between the specimens of the two environments. The elements identified by light microscopy were elucidated by electron transmission microscopy. This P. geoffroanus study is the first one that makes a correlation between these environments and the description of turtle’s blood cells, thus contributing to the identification of the hematological characteristics of this group. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Geoffroy’s side-necked turtle (Phrynops geoffroanus) belongs to the order Testudines and family Chelidae. They are small-sized and diurnal animals, which are frequently found in rivers, lakes and ponds with slow currents, and have a wide distribution, in South America countries (Gans, 1980; Goulart, 2004; Pritchard and Trebbau, 1984). The circulating blood of turtles has several primitive cells, such as nucleated red blood cells, responsible for oxygen transporting, and the thrombocytes, which are involved in clotting process. The production of the blood cells occurs in the spleen and bone mar- row. The white blood cells observed in turtles peripheral blood are: neutrophils, lymphocytes, basophils, monocytes, eosinophils, ∗ Corresponding author at: CEQ, IBILCE-UNESP, Rua Cristóvão Colombo, 2265; Jd. Nazareth; CEP: 15054-000, Brazil. Tel.: +55 17 3221 2378; fax: +55 17 3221 2390. E-mail address: tercilia@ibilce.unesp.br (M.T.V. de Azeredo-Oliveira). heterophils and azurophils, this cells are responsible for defense mechanisms (Andrew, 1965; Canfield, 1998; Frye and Murphy, 1991; Garcia-Navarro and Pachaly, 1994; Stacy and Whitaker, 2000). Environmental degradation linked to human population growth results in ecological niches variation for several species. The human impact on the environment becomes a major threat to the organisms that lives there; however, some species can sur- vive even in completely impacted environments (Souza and Abe, 1999). São José do Rio Preto is located in the southeast region of Brazil, at the following geographic coordinates: 20 ◦ 49 ′ 12 ′′ S 49 ◦ 22 ′ 44 ′′ E. The city is physically divided by the Rio Preto river and its tribu- taries, including the Piedade and Felicidade stream. The Rio Preto river is approximately 120 km long, and is a tributary of the Turvo river, which flows into the Rio Grande river, and is a component of the Turvo Grande basin (Zago et al., 2010). With approxi- mately 450 thousand inhabitants, the city is a constant source of water pollution from dozens of streams that run though the city. 0968-4328/$ – see front matter © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.micron.2010.06.006