RESPONSES OF THE ALLIGATOR 



699 



1.2 0.1 1.03 1.47 



0.55 g% 



Fig. 5 Normal serum protein electrophoretic pattern for Alligator 

 m ississippie n sis. 



Thrombocytes in the alHgator are relatively low in number, and 

 their contribution to hemostasis is not immediately known. Throm- 

 bocytes are known to participate in hemostasis and host phagocytic 

 defense mechanisms in other animals, however. 



Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) values revealed a total 

 protein of ~4 g in alligators under 1.5 years of age. After 3 years of 

 age, the alligator's total protein values were ~6 g/dl. The normal SPE 

 patterns revealed peaks discernible in the albumin, alpha 1, alpha 2, 

 beta 1, beta 2, and gamma regions (SPE, Fig. 5). In infected animals 

 the SPE showed an elevated alpha 2 globulin peak, with a relative 

 diminution in the albumin regions (Fig. 6). The electrophoretic 

 pattern in the healthy alligators appears similar to that seen in a 

 variety of vertebrates. The alpha 2 peak increases in man in response 

 to acute inflammatory conditions. In older alligators there is an 

 increase in the gamma region above that of laboratory specimens; 

 this indicates increased exposure to a variety of infectious agents and 

 antigens. 



The majority of wild animals in this project had the parasite 

 Haemogregarina in their red blood cells. The haemogregarines are 

 common intracellular red blood cell parasites with many known 

 invertebrate vectors (Manwell, 1977; Glassman, Holbrook, and 



