Haemosiderin deposition in Donkey (Equus asinus) livers: Comparison of quantitative histochemistry for iron and liver iron content
2011
Brown, P.J. | Whitbread, T.J. | Burden, F.A. | Bailey, M. | Carley, K. | Daniell, L. | Jones, C. | Bell, N.J.
Post mortem liver samples from 12 donkeys (Equus asinus) aged 21–57years (4 females, 1 stallion, 7 geldings), were assessed chemically for copper and iron content on a wet weight basis and histologically for stainable iron. Chemical liver copper content ranged from 2.7 to 4.8μg/g (mean 3.5±0.05μg/g). Chemical liver iron content ranged from 524 to 5010μg/g (mean 1723±1258μg/g). Histochemical iron was measured morphometrically using a computer-based image analysis system; percentage section area staining for iron ranged from 0.84% to 26.69% (mean 10.82±8.36%). There was no clear correlation, within the wide range of iron values, between histochemically demonstrable iron and chemically measured iron content. No clear age-related increase was apparent for either parameter in these aged donkeys. The accumulation of iron in the liver of donkeys may represent a physiological haemosiderosis rather than pathological haemochromatosis.
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