Cytochemical studies of normal feline blood and bone marrow cells

Blood and bone marrow cells of ten clinically healthy cats were stained for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), peroxidase (PO), chloroacetate esterase (CAE), alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase (NBE), sudanophilia, and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction. Mature neutrophils in blood and bone marrow were devoid of ALP and NBE, but exhibited modest to strong PO, CAE, sudanophilia, and PAS reaction. In bone marrow, sudanophilia, PO, and CAE were prominent at the promyelocyte stage and diminished with cellular differentiation and maturation, while PAS reactivity increased with cell maturation usually from the myelocyte stage onwards. Myeloblasts were negative for all cytochemical reactions, but some large unidentifiable cells reacted strongly for ALP. Eosinophils were slightly reactive for ALP, CAE, and PAS, but not for PO, sudanophilia, and NBE. Basophil granules stained strongly for CAE, revealed PAS positivity, and stained negatively for PO, NBE, ALP, and sudanophilia. Slight ALP activity was detected in the intergranular cytoplasm of basophils. Lymphocytes and monocytes, with few exceptions, stained negatively. An occasional lymphocyte revealed slight globular NBE activity (NaF-resistant) and diffuse PAS reaction, while an occasional monocyte contained a few PO-positive and sudanophilic granules. Monocytes reacted modestly, whereas bone marrow macrophages reacted strongly for NBE (NaF-sensitive). Cells of the erythroid series stained negatively for all cytochemical reactions, megakaryocytes were PAS-positive, and platelets gave positive reactions for PAS and CAE.