Peculiarities of organization and functioning of the fish red blood system

The review presents information on localization of sites of erythropoiesis in the fish organism, morphological peculiarities and proliferative activity of erythroid elements at different stages of differentiation, and life span of circulating erythrocytes. Data about effects of various factors on production of erythrocytes by hemopoietic tissue, such as erythropoetin and several other biologically active substances, are presented. Peculiarities are considered of organization of fish spleen as an organ storing and destroying old erythroid forms. Significance of production and destruction processes in the red blood system in correction of erythrocytic homeostasis in the fish organism is discussed.