[Application of an automatic blood cell analyzer "MICROX" to the blood of experimental animals. I. Differential counts of white blood cells in monkeys and dogs].

Automatic blood cell analyzer "MICROX" was examined for possible applicability to the differential count of white blood cell in the monkey and in the dog. Spun blood smear slides prepared from 42 monkeys and 60 dogs were stained with Wright's dye and totals of 4971 white blood cells of the monkey and 7189 cells of the dog were counted, respectively. The identification rate of MICROX was checked by the cell by cell counting method on a monitor TV of the instrument. Analysis of the data was made to examine correlationship between the results of MICROX and of optical microscopy on the same slides. 1) Identification rates and misclassification rates were 97.0% and 3.0% respectively in monkeys and 96.4% and 3.6% in dogs. 2) A high degree of correlation was observed between the results by MICROX and by optical microscopy in respect of segmented neutrophils and lymphocytes. 3) There were an average of 15.5 cells counted as unknown cells in monkey blood and 16.5 in dog blood per 100 cells, respectively. Of the unknown cells about 40 to 50% were closely disposed leukocytes within the same counting squares and almost all of atypical lymphocytes and erythroblasts were also counted as unknown cells on the analyzer. The data support the feasibility of the use of MICROX for the differential count of white blood cells of normal monkeys and dogs.