Studies on the Haemocyanin. 



L-On the crystallization of the oxyhaemocyanin 



by 

 Aurei D. Craifaleanti 



Membzr of the Society 

 (Front the Laboratoiy of Biologica! Clt'inistry of the Zoological Stution of Naplcs) 



(With seven Figures in Text and a Piate) 



(Meeting of Aiigust IS, 1918) 



CONTENTS. 



I. — Outlines. 



II. — Self -washing phenomenon. 



III. — Oxygenation of the blood. 



IV. — Crystallization of the haemocyanin. 



V. — Method of crystallization. 



VI. — Haemocyanin of Octopiis viilgaris. 



VII. — Haemocyanin of Octopiis macropns. 

 VIII. — Parahaemocyanin. 



■ IX. — Haemocyanin of Eledone moschata. 

 X. — Bibliography. 



Outlines, 



From a biological point of view haemogiobin is, undoub- 

 tedly, the most important and the best known of the animai pro- 

 teids. It feeds the flame of hfe, in red-blooded animals, by pro- 

 viding the cellular tissue with the necessary oxygen, taken either 

 from the air through the lungs. or from water through the gills. 

 But in the animai kingdom, nature has not reserved the function 

 of oxygen-carrier to the red haemogiobin alone. We know of 

 many blue-blooded animals (cephalopods, artropods, etc) in which 

 this function is fulfilled by another albuminous substance which 

 Fredericq (1) has called haemocyanin. Other oxygen - car- 

 riers are also known (hàmerythrin, etc.) but I shall treat here of 

 haemocyanin only. This proteid when oxygenated, oxyhaemocy- 

 anin, is blue; but on losing its oxygen it becomes colourless. 



