Estimation of total hemolymph volume in the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus |
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| Authors: | Lenka Hurton Stephen Smith |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences , Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , Blacksburg, VA 24061-0321, USA;2. Horseshoe Crab Research Center , Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , Blacksburg, VA 24061-0321, USA;3. Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA |
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| Abstract: | Biomedical companies extract blood from the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, for the production of Limulus Amebocyte Lysate, used worldwide for detecting endotoxins in injectable solutions and medical devices. Despite the extensive use of horseshoe crabs by the biomedical industry, total hemolymph volume for this species is not known. The hemolymph volume of 60 adult horseshoe crabs was estimated using an inulin dilution technique. Blood volume of the horseshoe crab represented as a percentage of wet body weight was 25?±?2.2% for males and 25?±?5.1% (mean?±?SD) for females. Relationships between hemolymph volume and weight (p?=?0.0026, r 2?=?0.8762), hemolymph volume and prosomal width (p?p?
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| Keywords: | Extracellular fluid volume hemolymph volume horseshoe crab inulin Limulus |
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