Blood, 1960, Vol. 16, No. 5, pp. 1642-1650.
© 1960 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
The Eosinophilia of Magnesium Deficiency
GERALD F. HUNGERFORD 1 and
EUGENE F. KARSON 1
1 Department of Anatomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles,
California.
Experimental magnesium deficiency has been produced by dietary means in
intact and adrenalectomized rats. The numbers and distributions of eosinophiles and mast cells were studied.
1. Adrenal ablation produced a mild blood eosinophilia and the numbers of
mast cells were reduced in peritoneal fluid. Tissue eosinophilia was not observed.
2. Magnesium deficiency in both intact and adrenalectomized rats is
accompanied by an extremely high blood eosinophilia. Concurrently the numbers of peritoneal fluid eosinophiles increased while the numbers of peritoneal
mast cells decreased.
3. Massive infiltration of eosinophiles into the lung, submaxillary gland and
mesenteric lymph nodes were observed in all magnesium deficient groups.
Mast cells were found in the liver sinusoids and spleen of adrenalectomized,
magnesium deficient animals of the chronic phase where these cells are not
normally present.
Submitted on May 3, 1960
Accepted on July 25, 1960
