Abaxis VetScan HM5, Operator'S Manual

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Introduction to Veterinary Hematology A-3
A.2 Composition of Blood
Whole blood contains three cellular components:

Red blood cells (erythrocytes, RBC)

White blood cells (leukocytes, WBC)

Platelets (thrombocytes, PLT)
Table A-1: Cell Composition of Whole Blood*
Red Blood Cells White Blood Cells Platelets
Normal density
5–12 x 10
12
cells/l 6–15 x 10
9
cells/l 100–700 x10
9
cells/l
Nucleated?
No ** Yes No
Sub-populations
and their
percentages
RBC: 99.9%
NRBC: **
(Nucleated RBC)
0.1%
GRAnulocytes: 65%
NEUtrophil: 60%
EOSinophil:
4%
BASophil: 1%
LYMphocytes: 32%
MONocytes: 3%
Shape, size
Biconcave (donut) shape
diameter: 5–7 µm
thickness: 1.8–2 µm
GRAnulocytes: 13–16 µm
LYMphocytes:
8–15 µm
MONocytes: 15–25 µm
Fragments with a
diameter of 2
–
4 µm
Volume of cell
30–80 fl 50–1500 fl 5–15 fl
Volumetric% in
whole blood
40–45% 0.1% 0.3%
* Data generated using whole human blood.
** Mature mammalian RBCs are non-nucleated.