Hemolymph calcium

Crayfish Orconectes virilis) exposed to different concentrations of pesticides are used for measuring intcrmolt phase and hemolymph calcium. The absence of elevation of calcium concentration in specimen.s exposed (o pesticides in laboratory defines failure to moll. Hemolymph samples arc taken directly from the heart and analyzed calcium biochemically (Leonhard, 1974). 

It seems that, at least in some animals, hemocyanin undergoes great seasonal modifications. Roche and Roche (1935) in fact showed that the average size of the hemocyanin molecule in Helix is different during the hibernation and estivation periods. Such naturally occurring dissociation and aggregation modifications are perhaps similar to those observed in vitro and may be related to the different calcium content of the hemolymph in the two periods. Should it be demonstrated that there are also seasonal modifications of the pH, a strict correlation between in vitro and in vivo phenomena would be provided. 

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