[Effect of hypoxic hypoxia on the shape and surface of erythrocytes (according to observations with transmission and scanning electron microscopes)].

Changes in the surface and intracellular structure of erythrocytes were studied under experimental conditions with consideration to the general morphological blood picture. Hypoxic hypoxia is accompanied by changes of mature erythrocytes and erythroblastic elements of the bone marrow tissue. At the early periods of hypoxia (the 1st-5th day) there is an increase in the count of erythrocytes, their respiratory surface enlarges and hemoglobin content becomes greater. These changes are adaptive. At later periods of hypoxia (the 10th--15th day) there occurs no increase of erythrocyte count, the number of reticulocytes falls, erythroblasts disappear, i.e. erythropoietic bone marrow capacity becomes exhausted and there appear signs of its decompensation. A rise of erythrocyte count and of blood hemoglobin content is the sequence of intensification of the bone marrow series function; this is indicated by the increase of the peripheral blood reticulocyte count and by the appearance of erythroblasts.