# Towards phenotyping adaptive traits in camels: A study of the influence of hypotonic saline solutions on blood cell area

## TL;DR

This study explores how camel blood cells respond to low-salt solutions, revealing their unique ability to swell without damage, which helps camels survive in arid environments.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the phenotyping of camel blood cells under hypotonic conditions, highlighting their structural adaptations.

## Key findings

- Camel red blood cells maintained their shape and swelled significantly in low-salt solutions.
- White blood cells also expanded without lysing, indicating similar hypotonic adaptations.
- The study identifies conditions for phenotyping camel blood cells in large populations.

## Abstract

Single-humped camels are livestock of physical, physiological, and biochemical adaptations to hot desert environments and to water scarcity. The tolerance of camels to water deprivation and their exceptional capacity for rapid rehydration requires blood cells with membranes of specialized organization and chemical composition. The objectives of this study are to examine the changes in the area (a proxy for volume) of camel blood cells in solutions with decreasing concentrations of NaCl and consequently identify the conditions under which blood cells can be phenotyped in a large population. Whole-blood samples from three healthy adult female camels were treated with four different concentrations of NaCl and examined at six incubation-periods. Observationally, red blood cells in all treatments remained intact and maintained their elliptical shape while white blood cells experienced some damage, lysing at concentrations below 0.90%. Average basal (in 0.90% NaCl) RBC area was ~15 μm² and swelled in the various treatments, in some cases reaching twice its original size. Excluding the damaged cells, the average area of combined WBCs, ~32.7 μm², expanded approximately three times its original size. We find that camel WBCs, like their RBCs, are adapted to hypotonic environments, and are capable of expanding while maintaining their structural integrity.