Organic compounds in the extrapalial fluid and haemolymph of Anodonta cygnea (L.) with emphasis on the seasonal biomineralization process

Correlation between the morpho-cytohistochemistry of the outer mantle epithelium ofAnodonta cygneawith seasonal variations and following pollutant exposure

“…Conversely, a gradual increase of cellular volume in the winter and spring seasons associated with higher levels of organic materials such as mucopolysaccharides correlates with the increment of shell calcification in this period. This agrees with the high metabolic activity in A. cygnea based on increasing levels of organic materials, namely glycosaminoglycans (Moura et al 2000b;Lopes-Lima et al 2005), chitin (Moura et al 2000b) and proteins (Moura et al 2000b) during the year. The larger cellular volumes in this period may reflect increasing intracellular calcium ion concentrations and organic secretions inside the cells which probably raise the osmotic pressure and cause water to enter the cells.…”

The effects of Anodonta cygnea biological fluids on biomineralization of chitosan membranes

“…Calcium carbonate/phosphate crystals are well regulated, theoretically through an ionotropic or 0376-7388/$ -see front matter © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.memsci.2010.08.002 stereochemical mechanism [7][8][9][10]. According our studies [9][10][11][12][13][14], the freshwater mussel Anodonta cygnea is a good model to study biomineralization processes due to have large volume biomineralization compartments with easy access to their organic matrixes.…”

“…doi:10.1016/j.memsci.2010.08.002 stereochemical mechanism [7][8][9][10]. According our studies [9][10][11][12][13][14], the freshwater mussel Anodonta cygnea is a good model to study biomineralization processes due to have large volume biomineralization compartments with easy access to their organic matrixes. In these animals, biomineralization events occur in two different biomineralization compartments, each with a specific biological fluid, haemolymph and extrapallial fluid, involved in mineral production at the microspherules (mineral concretions) level [9,10] and in the shell calcification respectively.…”

“…Although the fluids act at different levels of calcification, their organic and inorganic composition is very similar and balanced either by transport across the mantle barrier or by mantle cellular synthesis. Proteins, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and hexosamines (chitin) are the major organic constituents known to be important for biomineralization [9,10].…”

“…According our studies [9][10][11][12][13][14], the freshwater mussel Anodonta cygnea is a good model to study biomineralization processes due to have large volume biomineralization compartments with easy access to their organic matrixes. In these animals, biomineralization events occur in two different biomineralization compartments, each with a specific biological fluid, haemolymph and extrapallial fluid, involved in mineral production at the microspherules (mineral concretions) level [9,10] and in the shell calcification respectively. Although the fluids act at different levels of calcification, their organic and inorganic composition is very similar and balanced either by transport across the mantle barrier or by mantle cellular synthesis.…”