Genetic and environmental effects on blood cells.

In a sample of 105 concordant sex MZ and DZ twin pairs, the following characteristics were measured: red cell count, haemoglobin concentration, package cell volume, mean cell volume, mean cell haemoglobin, mean cell haemoglobin concentration, reticulocytes, platelets, white cell count and the six types of leucocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, band and segmented neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils. The statistical model employed in the univariate twin analysis allows for three sources of variation: genetic (h2), shared environmental (c2) and specific environmental influences (e2). A genetic component was significant for red cell count, haemoglobin and mean cell haemoglobin (0.64, 0.60 and 0.46 respectively), with heritable variation suggested for package cell volume, mean cell volume, mean cell haemoglobin, lymphocytes and monocytes. Shared environmental variation was only present for neutrophils.