Age changes in blood of the golden hamster

¹ Department of Anatomy, New York Medical College, Flower and Fifth Avenue Hospitals, New York City

Studies were made on 500 male hamsters, ranging in age from 4 weeks to 1 year. Significant changes from the initial values of blood parameters established in the 4-week-old hamster were the following: a) neutropenia and lymphocytosis at 8 weeks with a return to the basic values by 1 year; b) sustained elevation of hematocrit values beginning at 8 weeks; c) a small increase in hemoglobin, persistent after 8 weeks; d) gradual decline in albumin during the 1st year; e) an elevation of the alpha-2 globulin by the 6th month; f) a decreased beta globulin beginning at 8 weeks; g) alternating increase, decrease, and increase of the gamma globulin-fibrinogen factor, at 8 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year, respectively; h) a decline in the A/G (albumin/globulin) ratio with increasing age; i) an increase in the albumin lipoprotein and a drop in the beta-gamma lipoprotein with advancing age. The fibrinogen of hamster plasma was linked to gamma globulin.