Abstract
The effect of carbonic anhydrase (CA), urea and urease on the CaCO3 deposition in the shell-repair membrane of the snail, Helix pomatia, was studied by injection of CA separately or in combination with urease. This treatment resulted in increased deposits of CaCO3 and apparent crystal formation within the shell-repair membranes compared with those of the controls. The reactions to CA combined with urea were not uniform. Formation of organic crystalline structures and dendritic spherulites was observed in some of these membranes, whereas the deposition of CaCO3 crystals was suppressed. Administration of urea alone inhibited the formation of large CaCO3 crystals, whereas urease stimulated this process. The reaction of young snails was greater compared to adults. The membranes of young snails contained tighly packed, small CaCO3 crystals and organic crystalline structures, which indicated increase of the calcifying centra and their successive mineralization. The results support the assumption that carbonic anhydrase and urease enhance the rate of calcium carbonate deposition and crystal formation in Helix pomatia.
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