Effect of Weightlessness on Neutrophils and
Lymphocytes of Rats
Saqib K. M, Zia-ur-Rahman1 and Saeed
Ahmad Nagra2
1Department
of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of
Agriculture,
Faisalabad; 2Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
University of the Punjab,
Lahore,
Pakistan *Corresponding author: drziar@yahoo.com
Abstract
In the present study, two hundreds and forty
healthy albino young (n=120) and old (n=120) rats were used during winter and
summer season. Rats were divided into four groups in each season i.e. young and
old, consisting of male (n=30) and female (n=30) in each age category. In each
age ´ sex matched rats, three subgroups were made and
have been given the name as control group (CC), horizontal restrained group (HR)
and head down suspended group (HDS). For winter season, the room temperature of
experimental period ranged from 20 to 23°C and for summer season, the experimental room
temperature ranged from 30 to 33°C. A 12 hours light/12 hours dark cycle with ad libitum
food offered each day to an individual rats as well as fresh water (at normal
temperature) were provided every day from 9-10 h (morning Rats were decapitated
on day 7th (n=5) and day 28th (n=5) of experimental period
from all groups to collected the blood in a hepranized tubes for the estimation
of lymphocytes and neutrophils. Appropriate statistical analysis was performed
to estimate the difference between age, days, treatments and their possible
interactions during each season. During winter and summer seasons, male and
female rats did show a significant decrease in percent of lymphocytes, however a
significant increase in the neutrophils percent was also observed in the HR and
HDS groups. During summer, a significant increase in neutrophils and a decrease
in lymphocytes were observed in male and female rats of HR and HDS groups.