Chameleons Don't Have Platelets

[silas.edwin.johnson]

Here's a science fact for all of you. If I were to cut myself, my body in order to stop bleeding would send platelets to clot my blood so I stop bleeding. These platelets aren't actually cells but cell fragments. They are unnucleated. Chameleons are different, see chameleons don't have platelets. They instead have true nucleated cells called thrombocytes. Thrombocytes is another word for platelets in mammals but rest assured that reptile thrombocytes are distinct from mammalian platelets. Some biologists have speculated that these thrombocytes because they are true cells can also phagocytose pathogens (swallow unwanted cells), contributing to an enhanced immune system.

 

[silas.edwin.johnson]

Chameleons tend to like their nuclei. Their red blood cells (which in mammals loose their nuclei) are nucleated in chameleons. What effect does this have on their gas exchange? Idk, bottom line is there's a lot about chameleons that needs to be tested.

 

[kinyonga]

Sometimes in order to stop the bleeding in a chameleon it’s necessary to “bruise” the area to make it stop bleeding. My vet explained it to me one day when there was an issue with one of my chameleons. (It’s not really bruising…but I don’t know what the term would really be.)