Biochemical and Hematological Profiles of Wistar Rats at the Selcuk University Experimental Medicine Research and Application Center

Aim: Breeders provide a set of reference values for the specific populations, however, rats produced in local experimental animal research centers may have undergone physiological and genetic changes. Our aim in this study was to contribute to further studies by investigating the biochemical and hematological profile of Wistar rats raised under standard local conditions at the Selcuk University Experimental Medicine Research and Application Center (SUDAM), Konya, Turkey. Materials and Methods: The study included 1 (male=15, female=15), 3 (male=15, female=15), 6 (male=15, female=15), and 12-month-old (male=15, female=15) Wistar rats living their normal lives in the Animal House of SUDAM. Selected biochemical and hematological parameters were measured with the Beckman AU 5800 and Beckman Coulter LH-780 analyzers, respectively. Results: Urea, creatinine, ALT, albumin, globulin, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and MCH levels differed significantly between rats according to months (p<0.05). When the selected biochemical and hematological parameters were compared according to gender, it was found that glucose, urea, ALP, amylase, albumin, total protein, CK, cholesterol, triglyceride, sodium, potassium, RBC, hematocrit, MCH, platelet, WBC, neutrophil, monocyte, eosinophil, basophil levels showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study proved that biochemical and hematological parameters of Wistar rats may alter with factors such as age, gender, environment, and nutrition.