Kinetic sodium analyses in the crab Carcinus mediterraneus

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Kinetic analyses were made of the stable sodium and radioactive sodium (22Na) in some tissues of the crab Carcinus mediterraneus CSRN. Fast 22Na outflux constant is increased in gills, hepatopancreas, hemolymph, digestive tract and muscles. In the reproductive organs the values of the sodium outflux constant are lower. The values of the fast outflux rates (t=20°C) of sodium amount, in the whole animal, to 22.5 μM Na/g/h, in the hemolymph, to 69.3 μM Na/g/h; the slow outflux rates have much lower values (0.02 to 0.13 μM Na/g/h). Moulting crabs show a rate of sodium outflux 6 times greater than that of intermoulting individuals.