Abstract
Various mucopolysaccharides (MPS) were extracted from the tentacles of the squid, Illex illecebrosus (Leseuer) and the viscera of crustaceans comprising the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, the green crab, Carcinus maenas (Linné), the red crab, Geryon quinquedens Smith, the rock crab, Cancer irroratus Say, the lobster (body and head), Homarus americana Milne Edwards, and the shrimp (head), Pandalus borealis (Kröyer). The MPS were analyzed for uronic acid, hexosamine, N-sulfate, protein, neutral sugar, and anticoagulant activity. Chemical analysis of the two fractions extracted from the squid tentacles, suggests that fraction F1 is similar to chondroitin sulfate and F2 is heparin-like. In the crustaceans, the MPS extracted appear to resemble chondroitin sulfate and heparin. The blood anticoagulant activity of the MPS from the red crab was ≈66 IU/mg, whereas those obtained from the other species ranged from 7 to 30 IU/mg. Based on these data and the chemical analysis, it appears that the MPS from the red crab is heparin-like, while the MPS from the other species are more like chondroitin sulfate.
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