Normal haematopoiesis cellular components and M/E ratio in the bone marrow of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Bone marrow samples were collected from the proximal tibiotarsus bone of 75 clinically healthy quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) according to their age (< 1, 3, 5 and > 5 weeks) and sex. The bone marrow smears were stained using the Giemsa technique. Blood samples were collected at the same time for routine haematological examination. The results indicated that the development and formation of blood cells in the bone marrow of quails were similar to other birds, whereas the morphology of the cells was similar to chickens and ducks. The mean myeloid/erythroid ratio was 0.37, the mean erythroid percentage was 67.31% the mean myeloid percentage was 24.92% and the mean thrombocyte percentage was 3.28%. Age had a significant effect on the percentages of the rubriblast, prorubricyte, late polychromatophilic rubricyte, myeloblast, promyelocyte, heterophilic and eosinophilic myelocyte, heterophil, monocyte, thrombocyte and cells of the lymphocyte series, mitotic cells, osteoclasts, plasma cells and unclassified cells (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in any of the cellular composition between male and female quail bone marrows. All peripheral blood results were within reference ranges.