Le métabolisme du magnésium chez cancer irroratus (say, 1817) (crustacé décapode)

Magnesium is, in Cancer irroratus, present in all tissues and organs analysed in our study.This metal is slightly concentrated by the organism.Only the exoskeleton possesses, during the whole intermolt cycle a concentration factor, with regard to sea water, higher than 1.For all tissues and organs, except the exoskeleton, the highest rates are observed during the stages A and B.These high concentrations are the consequence of the strong absorption of sea water by the crab which occurs during the molt and during the stages following the molt.In the whol crab, magnesium of constitution is quantitatively preponderant with regard to magnesium intervening in the osmoregulatory and enzymatic process. In the muscles, the rates of magnesium are low and constant during the whole intermolt cycle.This tissue shows a regulatory system for the absorption of the metal being in the hemolymph.The osmotic regulation in muscle seems to be carried out more by organic molecules than by metals with osmoregulatory function as magnesium.During the molt and during the stages A and B following the molt, the absorption of magnesium by the digestive tract takes a leading part in the accumulation of this metal by the organism. [NOT CONTROLLED OCR]