Light microscopic morphology of blood cells of non-descript indigenous Zoar chicken of Mizoram, India.

Identifying and analysing distinct blood cells is crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the field of biomedicine. The present study was undertaken to study the cytomorphological and cytochemical characteristics of the blood cells of Zoar, a non-descript indigenous breed of chicken extensively reared under backyard poultry farming in Mizoram, India. For this study, 2 mL of blood samples were aseptically collected from the wings veins of 12 chickens and were processed for light microscopic study under standard protocols. The matured erythrocytes were elliptical, while the immature erythrocytes appeared oval. The heterophils were positive for SBB (SBB), Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS), acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and Arylsulphatase while the eosinophils were positive for SBB, PAS, alkaline phosphatase, cytochrome oxidase and peroxidase. The basophils of were positive for toluidine blue while the thrombocytes were positive for PAS. These cytochemical and cytoenzymatic staining properties plays a very important role in diagnosis, differentiation, and classification of leukaemias.

Discovery of Cell-Free Fetal DNA in Maternal Blood and Development of Noninvasive Prenatal Testing: 2022 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award.

In this Viewpoint, 2022 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award winner Y. M. Dennis Lo discusses his discovery and application of cell-free fetal DNA for noninvasive prenatal testing.

Measurement of hematopoietic progenitor cells using XN2000 hematology analyzer.

INTRODUCTION: Stem cell enumeration by the hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) mode is a novel method available from Sysmex XN2000 hematology analyzer. A small amount of blood (190 µL) is required, and the results are available in a few minutes without manual gating or presample treatment. The present study compares stem cell measurements using XN2000 analyzer HPC mode and FC500 flow cytometry analyzer using peripheral blood (PB) specimens and apheresis products. METHODS: In this prospective study, CD34-positive cell counts were enumerated using an FC500 flow cytometry analyzer and compared with XN2000 Sysmex analyzer (XN-HPC mode) in the same samples. Results were compared using Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: A total of 103 samples were used. In the PB samples, the median HPC count and CD34-positive cells were 83.5 × 106 /L and 78.0 × 106 /L, respectively. The mean Bland-Altman difference was 4.5 × 106 /L (Limits: -51.7 to 60.7 × 106 /L), with a Pearson's correlation of 0.79. In the apheresis products, the median HPC count and CD34-positive cells were 1468 × 106 /L (IQR: 1049 - 1960 × 106 /L) and 1327 × 106 /L (IQR: 910 - 2001 × 106 /L), respectively. The mean Bland-Altman difference was 179.0 × 106 /L (Limits: -2022.2 - 2380.2 × 106 /L), with a Pearson's correlation of 0.58. CONCLUSION: The XN-HPC mode has an excellent correlation and minimal disagreement for stem cell enumeration in PB compared with flow cytometry and could replace it. There is high disagreement in apheresis products, and therefore, the XN-HPC mode cannot be recommended.

The transcriptional regulation of normal and malignant blood cell development.

Development of multicellular organisms requires the differential usage of our genetic information to change one cell fate into another. This process drives the appearance of different cell types that come together to form specialized tissues sustaining a healthy organism. In the last decade, by moving away from studying single genes toward a global view of gene expression control, a revolution has taken place in our understanding of how genes work together and how cells communicate to translate the information encoded in the genome into a body plan. The development of hematopoietic cells has long served as a paradigm of development in general. In this review, we highlight how transcription factors and chromatin components work together to shape the gene regulatory networks controlling gene expression in the hematopoietic system and to drive blood cell differentiation. In addition, we outline how this process goes astray in blood cancers. We also touch upon emerging concepts that place these processes firmly into their associated subnuclear structures adding another layer of the control of differential gene expression.

Intermediate progenitor cells provide a transition between hematopoietic progenitors and their differentiated descendants.

Genetic and genomic analysis in Drosophila suggests that hematopoietic progenitors likely transition into terminal fates via intermediate progenitors (IPs) with some characteristics of either, but perhaps maintaining IP-specific markers. In the past, IPs have not been directly visualized and investigated owing to lack of appropriate genetic tools. Here, we report a Split GAL4 construct, CHIZ-GAL4, that identifies IPs as cells physically juxtaposed between true progenitors and differentiating hemocytes. IPs are a distinct cell type with a unique cell-cycle profile and they remain multipotent for all blood cell fates. In addition, through their dynamic control of the Notch ligand Serrate, IPs specify the fate of direct neighbors. The Ras pathway controls the number of IP cells and promotes their transition into differentiating cells. This study suggests that it would be useful to characterize such intermediate populations of cells in mammalian hematopoietic systems.

Unsupervised discovery of dynamic cell phenotypic states from transmitted light movies.

Identification of cell phenotypic states within heterogeneous populations, along with elucidation of their switching dynamics, is a central challenge in modern biology. Conventional single-cell analysis methods typically provide only indirect, static phenotypic readouts. Transmitted light images, on the other hand, provide direct morphological readouts and can be acquired over time to provide a rich data source for dynamic cell phenotypic state identification. Here, we describe an end-to-end deep learning platform, UPSIDE (Unsupervised Phenotypic State IDEntification), for discovering cell states and their dynamics from transmitted light movies. UPSIDE uses the variational auto-encoder architecture to learn latent cell representations, which are then clustered for state identification, decoded for feature interpretation, and linked across movie frames for transition rate inference. Using UPSIDE, we identified distinct blood cell types in a heterogeneous dataset. We then analyzed movies of patient-derived acute myeloid leukemia cells, from which we identified stem-cell associated morphological states as well as the transition rates to and from these states. UPSIDE opens up the use of transmitted light movies for systematic exploration of cell state heterogeneity and dynamics in biology and medicine.

Detection, sorting, and immortalization of dual expresser lymphocytes from human peripheral blood samples.

This protocol describes how to identify Dual Expressers (DEs), a rare type of lymphocyte that co-expresses B-cell receptors and T-cell receptors, by flow cytometry using a cocktail of four antibodies. It also shows the subsequent gating strategy for detecting and sorting DEs and the generation of EBV-immortalized DE lymphoblastoid cell lines and clones for antibody production and cloning antigen receptors. Use of this protocol maximizes detection of DEs and minimizes inclusion of doublets. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Ahmed et al. (2019).

Flow-cytometry-based protocols for human blood/marrow immunophenotyping with minimal sample perturbation.

This protocol provides instructions to improve flow cytometry analysis of marrow/peripheral blood cells by avoiding erythrolytic solutions, density gradients, and washing steps. We describe two basic approaches for identifying cell surface antigens with minimal sample perturbation, which have been successfully used to identify healthy and pathologically rare cells. The greatest advantage of these approaches is that they minimize the unwanted effect caused by sample preparation, allowing for improved study of live cells at the point of analysis. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Petriz et al. (2018).

Intercellular Interactions in Peripheral Venous Blood in Practically Healthy Residents of High Latitudes.

The paper presents the results of studying the immunological parameters of 369 people who were practically healthy at the time of the survey, 298 women and 71 men, of which 216 people are living in the European North of the Russian Federation (173 women and 43 men) and 153 are residents of the Arctic (125 women and 28 men). The study was carried out in the morning (08:00-10:00 am). The study included the determination of the aggregation of erythrocytes, platelets, neutrophilic granulocytes, lymphocytes, hemogram study, hematological analysis, enzyme immunoassay, and flow cytometry. Statistical processing of the obtained data was carried out using the Statistica 7.0 software package (StatSoft, USA). It was found that the activity of aggregation of cells of peripheral venous blood in Arctic residents is 1.5-1.7 times higher than that in people living in more favourable climatic conditions. The frequency of registration of aggregation of erythrocytes and platelets is actually 2 times higher than the aggregation of leukocytes. Aggregation of erythrocytes is associated with an increase in the concentrations of transferrin and receptors for this transport protein. The frequency of detection of platelet aggregation is accompanied by an increase in transferrin concentrations; in cases of aggregation of nonnuclear blood cells, the content of NO2 in the blood serum is increased. Aggregation of neutrophilic granulocytes and lymphocytes is associated with an increase in the content of free adhesion molecules. Aggregation of erythrocytes and platelets is in evidence when it is necessary to trigger reactions of changes in the hemodynamics of microcirculation to increase the efficiency of oxygen and trophic supply of tissues. The adhesion of leukocytes to the endothelium determines the secretion of biologically active substances that contribute to a change in microcirculation and an increase in the migration of leukocytes into tissues for the implementation of phagocytic and cytolytic functions.

Comparative study of peripheral blood cells in two marine fishes (Synechogobius hasta and Sebastes schlegelii): Morphological and cytochemical characterization.

The morphology, cell size and relative number of peripheral blood cells in two teleosts, Synechogobius hasta and Sebastes schlegelii, were compared using different staining methods. The results showed significant differences in cell size. The percentage of monocytes in S. hasta was greater than that in S. schlegelii (P < 0.01); however, the opposite results were obtained in the percentage of lymphocytes and thrombocytes. The two fishes shared common cytochemical-staining results, which showed that both erythrocytes were negative for all cytochemical staining; monocytes were strongly positive for PAS and positive for SBB and NAE; lymphocytes were negative for SBB, POX and NAE; neutrophils were positive for SBB and NAE; and thrombocytes were negative for SBB, ALP, POX and NAE. However, species specificity existed in the cytochemical properties. For S. hasta, monocytes were strongly positive for ALP and ACP; lymphocytes were strongly positive for ALP and weakly positive for ACP; neutrophils were strongly positive for ACP and POX; and thrombocytes were weakly positive for PAS and positive for ACP. Unlike S. hasta, monocytes were strongly positive for ACP and positive for ALP in S. schlegelii; lymphocytes were positive for ALP and partially positive for PAS; neutrophils were positive for ACP and POX; and thrombocytes were negative for PAS and ACP. The POX activity of monocytes in S. hasta was greater than that in S. schlegelii (P < 0.05), while the POX activity of neutrophils and the NAE activity of monocytes in S. hasta were significantly greater than those in S. schlegelii (P < 0.01). The results of this study can be used as a reference for the construction of haematological parameters in S. hasta and S. schlegelii for the assessment of fish health and can provide a research basis for fish diseases and immunity.

Automatic segmentation of blood cells from microscopic slides: A comparative analysis.

With the recent developments in deep learning, automatic cell segmentation from images of microscopic examination slides seems to be a solved problem as recent methods have achieved comparable results on existing benchmark datasets. However, most of the existing cell segmentation benchmark datasets either contain a single cell type, few instances of the cells, not publicly available. Therefore, it is unclear whether the performance improvements can generalize on more diverse datasets. In this paper, we present a large and diverse cell segmentation dataset BBBC041Seg1, which consists both of uninfected cells (i.e., red blood cells/RBCs, leukocytes) and infected cells (i.e., gametocytes, rings, trophozoites, and schizonts). Additionally, all cell types do not have equal instances, which encourages researchers to develop algorithms for learning from imbalanced classes in a few shot learning paradigm. Furthermore, we conduct a comparative study using both classical rule-based and recent deep learning state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods for automatic cell segmentation and provide them as strong baselines. We believe the introduction of BBBC041Seg will promote future research towards clinically applicable cell segmentation methods from microscopic examinations, which can be later used for downstream tasks such as detecting hematological diseases (i.e., malaria).

Evaluation of Scopio Labs X100 Full Field PBS: The first high-resolution full field viewing of peripheral blood specimens combined with artificial intelligence-based morphological analysis.

BACKGROUND: Current digital cell imaging systems perform peripheral blood smear (PBS) analysis in limited regions of the PBS and require the support of manual microscopy without achieving full digital microscopy. We report a multicenter study that validated the Scopio Labs X100 Full Field PBS, a novel digital imaging system that utilizes a full field view approach for cell recognition and classification, in a decision support system mode. METHODS: We analyzed 335 normal and 310 abnormal PBS from patients with various clinical conditions and compared the performance of Scopio's Full Field PBS as the test method, with manual PBS analysis as the reference method. Deming regression analysis was utilized for comparisons of WBC and platelet estimates. Measurements of WBC and platelet estimation accuracy along with the agreement on RBC morphology evaluation were performed. Reproducibility and repeatability (R&R) of the system were also evaluated. RESULTS: Scopio's Full Field PBS WBC accuracy was evaluated with an efficiency of 96.29%, sensitivity of 87.86%, and specificity of 97.62%. The agreement between the test and reference method for RBC morphology reached 99.77%, and the accuracy for platelet estimation resulted in an efficiency of 94.89%, sensitivity of 90.00%, and specificity of 96.28%, with successful R&R tests. The system enabled a comprehensive review of full field PBS as shown in representative samples. CONCLUSIONS: Scopio's Full Field PBS showed a high degree of correlation of all tested parameters with manual microscopy. The novel full field view of specimens facilitates the long-expected disengagement between the digital application and the manual microscope.

Morphological, cytochemical and ultrastructural aspects of blood cells in freshwater stingray species in the middle Rio Negro basin of Amazonian Brazil.

In the present work, we examined the morphology, dimensions, cytochemical staining reactions and ultrastructure of blood cells from three freshwater stingray species, Potamotrygon wallacei, Potamotrygon motoro and Paratrygon aiereba, living in the waters of the middle Rio Negro basin (Barcelos, Amazonas, Brazil). We identified erythrocytes, erythroblasts, thrombocytes and four types of leukocytes (basophils, heterophils, lymphocytes and monocytes) in the blood of these stingray species. In all the freshwater stingray species studied, the shapes and dimensions of these cells were similar to those of marine elasmobranchs. Positive PAS staining occurred in heterophils and thrombocytes, and weak staining occurred in lymphocytes and monocytes, while metachromasia only occurred in basophils. Positive Sudan Black B staining was observed in thrombocytes and lymphocytes, and weak staining occurred in heterophils. Basophils and heterophils were the only cells with positive bromophenol blue staining, while no peroxidase staining was observed in any of the four leukocyte types. This is the first study to establish the dimensions and cytochemical staining profiles of blood cells in Amazonian stingray species. Because these elasmobranch species are exported as ornamental fish to countries worldwide, this study can contribute to establishing standards for blood constituents that may be helpful in assessing the health and welfare of these fish in artificial systems.

Specification and Evaluation of Plasticizer Migration Simulants for Human Blood Products: A Delphi Study.

Potentially toxic plasticizers are commonly added to polyvinyl chloride medical devices for transfusion in order to improve their flexibility and workability. As the plasticizers are not chemically bonded to the PVC, they can be released into labile blood products (LBPs) during storage. Ideally, LBPs would be used in laboratory studies of plasticizer migration from the medical device. However, short supply (i.e., limited stocks of human blood in collection centres) has prompted the development of specific simulants for each type of LBP in the evaluation of new transfusion devices. We performed a Delphi study with a multidisciplinary panel of 24 experts. In the first (qualitative) phase, the panel developed consensus definitions of the specification criteria to be met by each migration simulant. Next, we reviewed the literature on techniques for simulating the migration of plasticizers into LBPs. A questionnaire was elaborated and sent out to the experts, and the replies were synthesized in order to obtain a consensus. The qualitative study established specifications for each biological matrix (whole blood, red blood cell concentrate, plasma, and platelet concentrate) and defined the criteria required for a suitable LBP simulant. Ten criteria were suggested: physical and chemical characteristics, opacity, form, stability, composition, ability to mimic a particular clinical situation, ease and safety of use, a simulant-plastic interaction correlated with blood, and compatibility with analytical methods. The questionnaire data revealed a consensus on the use of natural products (such as pig's blood) to mimic the four LBPs. Opinions diverged with regard to synthetic products. However, an isotonic solution and a rheological property modifier were considered to be of value in the design of synthetic simulants. Consensus reached by the Delphi group could be used as a database for the development of simulants used to assess the migration of plasticizers from PVC bags into LBPs.

Robust Blood Cell Image Segmentation Method Based on Neural Ordinary Differential Equations.

For the analysis of medical images, one of the most basic methods is to diagnose diseases by examining blood smears through a microscope to check the morphology, number, and ratio of red blood cells and white blood cells. Therefore, accurate segmentation of blood cell images is essential for cell counting and identification. The aim of this paper is to perform blood smear image segmentation by combining neural ordinary differential equations (NODEs) with U-Net networks to improve the accuracy of image segmentation. In order to study the effect of ODE-solve on the speed and accuracy of the network, the ODE-block module was added to the nine convolutional layers in the U-Net network. Firstly, blood cell images are preprocessed to enhance the contrast between the regions to be segmented; secondly, the same dataset was used for the training set and testing set to test segmentation results. According to the experimental results, we select the location where the ordinary differential equation block (ODE-block) module is added, select the appropriate error tolerance, and balance the calculation time and the segmentation accuracy, in order to exert the best performance; finally, the error tolerance of the ODE-block is adjusted to increase the network depth, and the training NODEs-UNet network model is used for cell image segmentation. Using our proposed network model to segment blood cell images in the testing set, it can achieve 95.3% pixel accuracy and 90.61% mean intersection over union. By comparing the U-Net and ResNet networks, the pixel accuracy of our network model is increased by 0.88% and 0.46%, respectively, and the mean intersection over union is increased by 2.18% and 1.13%, respectively. Our proposed network model improves the accuracy of blood cell image segmentation and reduces the computational cost of the network.

Bioenergetic and Proteomic Profiling of Immune Cells in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients: An Exploratory Study.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a heterogeneous, debilitating, and complex disease. Along with disabling fatigue, ME/CFS presents an array of other core symptoms, including autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction, sustained inflammation, altered energy metabolism, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Here, we evaluated patients' symptomatology and the mitochondrial metabolic parameters in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma from a clinically well-characterised cohort of six ME/CFS patients compared to age- and gender-matched controls. We performed a comprehensive cellular assessment using bioenergetics (extracellular flux analysis) and protein profiles (quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics) together with self-reported symptom measures of fatigue, ANS dysfunction, and overall physical and mental well-being. This ME/CFS cohort presented with severe fatigue, which correlated with the severity of ANS dysfunction and overall physical well-being. PBMCs from ME/CFS patients showed significantly lower mitochondrial coupling efficiency. They exhibited proteome alterations, including altered mitochondrial metabolism, centred on pyruvate dehydrogenase and coenzyme A metabolism, leading to a decreased capacity to provide adequate intracellular ATP levels. Overall, these results indicate that PBMCs from ME/CFS patients have a decreased ability to fulfill their cellular energy demands.

Full-field hemocytometry. Forty years of progress seen through Clinical and Laboratory Hematology and the International Journal of Laboratory Hematology.

The extraordinary advances in clinical hematology, biology, and oncology in the last decades would not have been possible without discovering how to identify and count the cells circulating in the blood. For centuries, scientists have used slides, counting chambers (hemocytometers), and diluting and staining solutions for this task. Then, automated hemocytometry began. This science, now linked to the daily routine of laboratory hematology, has completed an overwhelming path over a few decades. Our laboratories today operate with versatile multiparameter systems, ranging from complex single-channel instruments to bulky continuous flow machines. In terms of clinical information obtained from a simple routine blood test, the full exploitation of their potential depends on the operators' imagination and courage. A comprehensive review of the scientific publications that have accompanied the development of hemocytometry from the 1950s to today would require entire volumes. More than seven hundred contributions that authors worldwide have published in Clinical and Laboratory Haematology until 2007 and then the International Journal of Laboratory Hematology are summarized. Such journals have represented and hopefully will continue to represent the privileged place of welcome for future scientific research in hemocytometry. Improved technologies, attention to quality, new reagents and electronics, information technology, and scientist talent ensure a more profound and deeper knowledge of cell properties: current laboratory devices measure and count even minor immature or pathological cell subpopulations. Full-field hemocytometry includes the analysis of nonhematic fluids, digital adds to the microscope, and the development of effective point-of-care devices.

Establishment of pediatric reference intervals for complete blood count parameters in capillary blood in Beijing.

BACKGROUND: Reference intervals (RIs) are normal ranges of clinical indicators established from healthy subjects, and comparing test results with RIs is the first step for clinicians in differentiating between healthy and diseased subjects. Capillary blood is widely used in complete blood count (CBC) tests in children; however, capillary blood-based RIs for the CBC parameters are still lacking for all pediatric populations. The aim of this study was to establish capillary blood-based RIs for the CBC parameters in children aged 3 months to 18 years in Beijing. METHODS: A total of 6799 capillary blood specimens from children were collected, including 3832 males and 2967 females aged 3 months to 18 years, and CBC parameters were analyzed. Data analysis, RI calculations, and 90% confidence interval (CI) calculations were performed according to CLSI C28-A3 guidelines. RESULTS: Capillary blood RIs for 22 CBC parameters were established in children aged 3 months to 18 years. The levels of most red blood cell-related parameters increased with age and were generally higher in males than in females. White blood cell counts were relatively stable, with no obvious upward or downward trends from 3 months to 18 years of age. Platelet levels decreased within the first year and tended to be stable thereafter. Further validation with 458 healthy children illustrated that the verified results were within the established RIs with a 90%-100% proportion. CONCLUSION: We established capillary blood RIs for 22 CBC parameters in children across a broad age range in Beijing.

The cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay for cryopreserved whole blood.

PURPOSE: The cytokinesis-block micronucleus (MN) assay is a widely used technique in basic radiobiology research, human biomonitoring studies and in vitro radiosensitivity testing. Fresh whole blood cultures are commonly used for these purposes, but immediate processing of fresh samples can be logistically challenging. Therefore, we aimed at establishing a protocol for the MN assay on cryopreserved whole blood, followed by a thorough evaluation of the reliability of this assay for use in radiosensitivity assessment in patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Whole blood samples of 20 healthy donors and 4 patients with a primary immunodeficiency disease (PID) were collected to compare the results obtained with the MN assay performed on fresh versus cryopreserved whole blood samples. MN yields were scored after irradiation with 220 kV X-rays (dose rate 3 Gy/min), with doses ranging from 0.5-2 Gy. RESULTS: The application of the MN assay on cryopreserved blood samples was successful in all analyzed samples. The radiation-induced MN and NDI scores in fresh and cryopreserved blood cultures were found to be similar. Acceptable inter-individual and intra-individual variabilities in MN yields were observed. Repeated analysis of cryopreserved blood cultures originating from the same blood sample, thawed at different time points, revealed that MN values remain stable for cryopreservation periods up to one year. Finally, radiosensitive patients were successfully identified using the MN assay on cryopreserved samples. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this study is the first report of the successful use of cryopreserved whole blood samples for application of the MN assay. The data presented here demonstrate that the MN assay performed on cryopreserved whole blood is reliable for radiosensitivity testing. Our results also support its wider use in epidemiological, biomonitoring and genotoxicity studies. The presented method of cryopreservation of blood samples might also benefit other assays.

From development toward therapeutics, a collaborative effort on blood progenitors.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Progenitor Cell Translational Consortium Blood Progenitor Meeting was hosted virtually on November 5, 2020, with 93 attendees across 20 research groups. The purpose of this meeting was to exchange recent findings, discuss current efforts, and identify prospective opportunities in the field of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell research and therapeutic discovery.