The histological development of blood cells and identification of erythropoietin in the red blooded Antarctic notothenioid species

A joint program with the Italian program investigated erythropoesis (formation of red blood cells) and red cell turn over in the red blooded Antarctic fishes. A range of fish tissues was collected to characterize the histological development of blood cells in common red-blooded notothenioid species (Trematomus bernacchii and Pagothenia borchgrevinki) and to compare it with the white blooded icefish Chionodraco hamatus. The red-cell stimulating hormone erythropoietin was identified in the red blooded species using molecular biological techniques. The liver, spleen and kidney from T. bernacchii, T. pennelli, T. hansoni, T. nicolai, P. borchgrevinki and Dissostichus mawsoni were fixed for histological study and molecular biological studies of growth factors and hormones controlling the production of blood cells.