STUDIES ON ERYTHROCYTES, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO RETICULUM, POLYCHROMATOPHILIA AND MITOCHONDRIA

Abstract

<h3>INTRODUCTION</h3> It has been suggested (Shipley,¹Sappington²) that the study of the mitochondria in the erythrocytes in the circulating blood would be of value clinically in estimating the state of activity of the bone marrow. The term mitochondria was introduced by Benda³in 1899 to designate certain threadlike granules which he had noted in his studies on spermatogenesis. Many authors had previously described similar protoplasmic granules under various terms. The protoplasmic fila of Flemming⁴included some poorly fixed mitochondria, and a large percentage of the bioblasts of Altmann⁵were mitochondria. Cowdry⁶has carefully reviewed a very extensive literature on the subject and critically examined the descriptions of protoplasmic granules as given by a great many investigators under a very varied terminology. He finds that granules having definite characteristics and hence capable of being separated from other cytoplasmic constituents have been observed and described in the protoplasm of almost every type